Steve sat down with U.S. Senate candidate Karishma Manzur, a medical scientist with a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology. She spent over 20 years working on treatments for illnesses like epilepsy and depression, and has been active in progressive politics and advocacy on causes as diverse as campaign finance reform, rank choice voting, and New Hampshire Peace Action.

In this episode, we got into an in-depth discussion covering healthcare policy, big money in politics, Democratic Party strategy, and the recent government shutdown negotiations. You can learn more about her campaign at www.KarishmaForSenate.com.

Today, Tom and I did a Substack Live, which we turned into a podcast. We go back more than 20 years, and Tom (who is in his first term as a New Hampshire state legislator representing a Grafton County district in the Upper Valley) has truly done it all: He's been a teacher, then a journalist, then a high-level political communications operative in state and national races, then eventually a partner in one of the country's most prominent Democratic consulting firms, then the Chief of Staff for the Secretary of the Navy during the Obama administration, and now an elected official.

Today, we discussed the big recent news of the agreement between Senate Republicans and eight Senate Democrats to re-open the government, and the reasons behind the near-universally negative reaction on the part of Democratic activists. What should the Democratic message be entering 2026 at the state and national level, and how does this Senate development impact our ability to deliver that message?

We also discuss Tom's recent efforts to bring the need for additional revenue to pay for the State's constitutional responsibility to fund more of public education back to the forefront. He proposed bringing back a bill killed in 2025 for the second year of the legislative session, and although his effort was denied by the GOP-led Rules Committee, he has a lot to say about the topic.

Finally, we talk some sports at the end, as often happens. He's one of the bigger hockey fans I know, and the role of youth hockey in his family's lives is both sweet - and will ring true for so many of us who drove our daughters and sons to practices and games for years.

To learn more, visit www.SteveMarchand.com.

This is a recording of a Substack Live Analysis and Q&A done on Thursday, November 6th. On Wednesday night, the 5th, Steve rolled out his V1.0 of his 2026 New Hampshire House projections, focusing on which of the 400 House seats are most likely to determine whether Democrats can go from the 178 they won in 2024 to a majority in 2026. To watch a recording of the Projection Show, visit Steve's YouTube channel here.

The role of unions in the politics of New Hampshire and the country is - like much of the two major parties' coalitions - in flux. Rich Gulla, who has been President of New Hampshire's largest (about 11,000 members) union, has led the State Employees' Association since 2014, and has seen a lot in the last 11 years.

I learned a lot in this conversation from Rich: The generational divide among Republicans in how they perceive the party's future relationship with most unions; the inherently pragmatic outlook Rich and his membership must take in dealing with both parties - and why it puts SEA in a uniquely strong position at the State House as the parties vie for power in 2026 and beyond; and what issues we can expect to see prioritized by labor in the future.

We ended up talking a little football, drumming, and snowmobiling, too. Enjoy this conversation with one of most consequential leaders in today's New Hampshire politics.

Steve sat down with Shana Potvin & Nicole Bump for a recent Substack Live broadcast. Shana and Nicole have teamed up with Steve to create a new messaging program for New Hampshire's Democratic activists called "You Are the Media".

It uses Shana's background in political psychology, Nicole's professional experience in marketing and communications, and Steve's background in politics and policy to create a tool for reaching the voters currently swinging election results, on the issues that matter most to them, using language that emotionally resonates with them, in the places where they are most likely to be. And we're doing it for each precinct in the State of New Hampshire.

We've learned a lot during this process, which we share throughout the conversation, and then we answer a bunch of viewers' questions. It's hard-core politics, and a lot of fun. Visit www.MoveTheGoalpostsNH.com, and www.SteveMarchand.com, to learn more.

Sarah Chadzynski is an educator and non-profit leader who has spent a lot of the last few years working on the human impact of Russia's ongoing attack on Ukraine. She's now a candidate for the open congressional seat in New Hampshire's 1st district (being vacated by Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026).

I thought we'd spend more of this episode discussing the ongoing war in Ukraine, but Chadzynski quickly brought it back to what she sees as a broader attack on human rights and the rule of law in other place, such as the Middle East...and right here in America.

We also discussed America's response in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination, as well as how she sees her unique place in what has become a crowded and wide open primary for a key seat in the 2026 midterms.

You can learn more about Chadzynski at her campaign website.

Heath Howard is the latest entrant in the Democratic primary to succeed Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire First Congressional District. Howard, from Barrington, is in his second term in the New Hampshire House, representing a very purple district in Strafford County.

He’s unusually young for a congressional candidate (he is 25), and for many voters, that may be an initial point of resistance. But with none of the seven candidates older than about 50, age may end up being less of a factor than usual. And Howard definitely tries to use it as a proxy for “change”.

I would definitely listen to his story about how he was nearly paralyzed at age 15 in a skiing accident, and how his mother, who is a physical therapist, was critical in navigating the health care system at a time of medical crisis for Howard.

One of the goals as I seek to improve my performance in my podcasts and Substack Live programs is to draw out the personal stories that, in my 25 years in politics, always deeply influence how candidates see the world. I think we got some of that insight in this conversation.

Christian Urrutia is a Democratic candidate for New Hampshire's highly-competitive First Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Pappas (who is seeking to replace the retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in the US Senate in 2026).

In what has become a crowded primary field, Urrutia is hoping to use a combination of an intriguing collection of life experiences (a successful attorney in private practice, a veteran, an appointee in President Biden's Department of Defense, a first-generation American, and currently an executive with AirBnB), a "progressive outsider " brand of policies to break through.

In this episode, we get into depth on everything from health care (he supports Medicare For All), to the Israel/Hamas war (he has been an international human rights attorney), to housing, to why Democrats' brand is struggling six months into the 2nd Trump term.

On the 4th of July, we have today's conversation with Carleigh Beriont, a Democratic candidate for Congress in New Hampshire's open seat in the 1st district. Beriont, who is a professional educator and the Vice Chairwoman of the Hampton Select Board, is an intriguing new talent in this race to succeed Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas, who is leaving the seat to run for the U.S. Senate seat opening up due to the retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. We discuss the likely ramifications of President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" set to become law today - including to health care, Medicaid, energy policy, and the tax code.

Jon Kiper was a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2024, and he's back to run again in 2026, with a twist: He's running as an independent. Kiper, a restauranteur and former Town Councilor in Newmarket, surprised many with by getting almost 10% of the vote on a shoestring budget against two much better-known Democrats in 2024. He's focused like a laser on economics, especially housing and property taxes, and even has a catch phrase that includes his support of legalized cannabis: "Weed for Housing". We talked about his 2024 and 2026 runs, why he's taking the tougher road as an independent, and how politicians of both major parties need to better connect with the working class.