DGA on Ovide LaMontagne’s Announcement for Governor

Washington, D.C. – Today, Colm O’Comartun, the Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association, released the following statement on Ovide LaMontagne’s announcement that he will run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in New Hampshire:
“Ovide LaMontagne is a perennial candidate who marches in lockstep with the extremist, Tea Party Republicans in Concord. He offers New Hampshire voters a guarantee that they will have no check on a state legislature that abolished the minimum wage, made the largest percentage cut to public education funding in the nation, and pushed to implement a controversial right-to-work law. New Hampshire voters are looking for an effective and responsible leader to continue Governor Lynch’s legacy and that is not Ovide LaMontagne.”
Background:
Federal Officials: NH University System Cuts Are Largest of Any State “The cuts to the four-year public college system are the largest of any state in the country this year federal officials have said.” [Nashua Telegraph, June 21, 2011]
Lamontagne Supports Right to Work Laws. In a recent op-ed, Lamontagne argued in favor of turning New Hampshire into a so-called right to work state. “The Granite State is currently engaged in a debate about whether to become the nation’s 23rd right-to-work state. I support the view that employees should be free to choose whether or not to join a union in the workplace.” [Union Leader, 6/13/11]
NH GOP Overrode Gov. Lynch’s Veto to Eliminate the State Minimum Wage. “Lawmakers have overridden Democratic Gov. John Lynch’s veto of a bill that repeals New Hampshire’s minimum wage law and aligns the state wage with the federal minimum wage. The House voted 261-110 Wednesday followed by the Senate voting 19-5 to pass the bill into law.” [Boston Globe, 6/22/2011]
 

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