Finkel: A Progressive Democrat Supports Denise Ricciardi

As a lifelong Democrat (appointee of Bill Clinton, reporting to the brilliant Robert Reich), party affiliation is important to me—but so is personal integrity, ability to listen, and especially a commitment to preserving human health and the environment from threats, the field I’ve worked in for the past 40 years.

Once in a while, a Republican legislator comes along whom I respect as a true “conservative” in that word’s original meaning—such as Senator Denise Ricciardi of Bedford. Sen. Ricciardi is a hero to those of us north of the Notches who are fighting to keep millions of tons of out-of-state trash from being landfilled in a terrible tract near two treasured water bodies. Unlike her party’s Governor, she has respected the science and listened to the monied interests only insofar as their requests made sense.

And on several crucial environmental votes affecting the entire state, Denise has voted, along with some of the Senate Democrats, in favor of precaution—bills that failed due to many in her party but sadly, also because of some in ours. We need at least one independent GOP voice in the Senate, regardless of which party gains a slim majority next month.

Because of her leadership in the Senate, Ricciardi has won accolades ranging from a Disability Justice Champion citation to a Rural Water Advocate Award for her work providing clean drinking water infrastructure outside of our cities. I acknowledge that given some time in his first-ever legislative role, her opponent might well come to have a similar environmental and public health record—eventually.

Perhaps the most “Ricciardi-esque” thing I learned researching her record outside of environmental issues is that she was the lone Republican who joined the ten Senate Democrats in sponsoring the “Momnibus” bill to provide Medicaid services for the first postpartum year.

I gather that the “old guard” in our party are painting Ricciardi as some kind of extremist. That’s arguably a desperate move, and in my opinion an unfair one. Unlike too many on both sides, Denise votes her conscience, and doesn’t make excuses for failing to follow through on a promise—she doesn’t have to, because she keeps her word.

I hope readers will consider supporting her for re-election.

Dr. Adam M. Finkel

Dalton NH