Colin 'Coronation'? Kuster Endorses Van Ostern In NH02 Democrat Primary

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

Retiring U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster endorsed Colin Von Ostern Tuesday in the Democratic primary to replace her in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional district. It’s yet another sign that the former Executive Council is her hand-picked successor and the choice of the state Democratic Party’s establishment.

“The coronation continues,” one longtime New Hampshire political observer told NHJournal.

“I am so pleased that my good friend Colin Van Ostern has stepped up to run for Congress in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District,” Kuster said in a statement released by the Van Ostern campaign.

“Colin has the energy, intellect, experience, and temperament to take on our biggest challenges in Congress, including saving our democracy and restoring America’s faith in government. As a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council, Colin stood up for women and families voting to restore funding to Planned Parenthood.

“I’m proud to endorse my friend Colin Van Ostern and I know that he will make New Hampshire proud serving in Congress.”

The reference to Planned Parenthood and standing up for women is viewed as key by Granite State campaign pros. Van Ostern is likely to face progressive state Sen. Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) in the primary. New Hampshire Democrats are making “women’s reproductive freedoms” — aka unlimited legal abortion — the centerpiece of their federal and state campaigns.

If elected, Van Ostern would be the only straight, white male in the federal delegation.

“I’m grateful to have earned the support of hundreds of leaders across this district, from our Congresswoman Annie Kuster, to many community activists and volunteers in so many towns and neighborhoods,” Van Ostern said. “Annie Kuster has been a champion for bipartisan solutions to combat the opioid crisis, bring down healthcare costs, and ensure that our veterans have the support they need. I’m excited to continue that hard work, and continue to fight – as Annie has – for women’s reproductive freedoms.”

Kuster is among more than 100 Democrat endorsements listed in his press release, including former four-term Gov. John Lynch, Concord Mayor Byron Champlin and longtime advisor to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Michael Vlacich.

Kuster’s early, high-profile embrace of Van Ostern, a candidate viewed as part of the state’s liberal establishment, highlights the party’s successful efforts in keeping progressive Democrats off the ballot. Avoiding ideology-based primaries helps keep the party’s more extreme positions — like support for abortion at any time during pregnancy, or their votes for carbon taxes and EV mandates — out of the headlines. It also helps paper over intraparty divisions on issues like military aid for Israel or the debate over a national, socialized healthcare system.

But Granite State progressives have been grousing for years about their lack of representation in a state that socialist icon Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has carried twice in the First in the Nation primary. And some New Hampshire Democrats tell NHJournal on background that Van Ostern’s lack of appeal as a candidate may make it harder for the party’s establishment to keep primary voters in line.

“I think this backfires on Van Ostern,” one Democratic operative said.

Developing…

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.