Carol Shea-Porter

Carol Shea-Porter lost 43% to 54% against Republican Frank Guinta in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District. Libertarian candidate Philip Hodson received 4% of the vote.

Carol Shea-Porter (D) is running for re-election for her 3rd term in New Hampshires’ 1st District.  She faces a general election race.

Representative Shea-Porter defeated incumbent Republican Jeb Bradley in a huge upset in 2006, becoming the first woman to represent New Hampshire in Congress. In the House Shea-Porter has been a solid advocate for women’s rights, co-sponsoring many bills that are key to the feminist movement.

Background:

• In 2006, Shea-Porter was elected to be the first woman to represent New Hampshire in the United States Congress
• Elected as Representative to NH-1 in 2006 and served for 4 years
• Shea-Porter earned a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood in 2008
• Shea-Porter currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the Education and Labor Committee, and the Natural Resources Committee

Shea-Porter's Position on Key Issues:

• Women's Rights: Supports constitutional equality and equal pay. Shea-Porter is a co-sponsor of the re-introduced Equal Rights Amendment, which will constitutionally protect women’s equal rights.
• Reproductive Rights: Supports a woman’s right to choose without restrictions. In the House, Shea-Porter co-sponsored a bill to ensure access and funding for contraception.
• LGBT Rights: Shea-Porter voted Yes on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation.

General Election Opponents: Republicans in NH-1 are still competing for the parties’ nomination in a primary that will take place September 24th. It is likely that Shea-Porter’s opponent will be Republican Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta. Guinta, a career politician in the Manchester area, is running an anti-choice campaign against Shea-Porter. He states on his campaign website that he supports parental notification laws and crisis pregnancy centers, because they “offer alternatives”.

Prospects: Representative Shea-Porter is a fighter; you can see it in the way she has recently turned around the polls in her district. The latest polling by the University of New Hampshire shows Shea-Porter has taken a small to moderate lead over the Republican challengers in the district. Shea-Porter needs support to maintain her lead until the November elections.

Endorsements: Feminist Majority PAC, EMILY’s List, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, National Organization for Women PAC, Women’s Campaign Forum, Democracy for America, NH AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, Veterans and Military Families for Progress, National Stonewall Democrats PAC