CONCORD, N.H. — It’s the busy season at the Secretary of State’s Office right now with candidates of all shapes and sizes and numbers of supporters cramming into the little office on the second floor of the State House to sign up to run for office.
All candidates, from state legislator to U.S. Senator, have until Friday, June 12, at 5 p.m. to sign up for a two-year term that will begin next year.
More than 200 candidates for state office have already filed.
So far, some of the candidates who have filled out the paperwork with fanfare have been Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte, running for re-election, and former Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, running again for governor as a Democrat – both signed last Thursday.
Scott Brown who is running for U.S. Senate as a Republican, signed last Wednesday, the first day to sign up.
All Executive Council members are running for re-election.
Hordes of Chris Pappas supporters lined the hallways on Monday and chanted support for the District 1 Congressman and candidate for the U.S. Senate.
On the same day, Edmond Laplante Jr. of Richmond also filed for the Senate seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, as an Independent.
There was no big fanfare for Laplante, but he was colorful.
Dressed in Revolutionary War garb, he was accompanied by two supporters, Megan Schmidtt of Concord and Donna LaClair of Loudon, who held signs for him as he sat down to fill out the paperwork.
A mechanic of more than 40 years, Laplante said the Constitution is not a tool for politicians to “fix” society, nor a shortcut to impose new ideas, according to his website.
“It is a set of restraints – written to limit power, define jurisdiction, and protect the people from those who govern. When the government follows it faithfully, things tend to work. When it ignores it, no amount of experience or good intentions can prevent damage,” he states.
All candidates are signing up for two-year terms with the exception of the U.S. Senate, which is a six-year term.
U.S. Senatorial candidate John E. Sununu was scheduled to register to run on Wednesday.
So far, the largest turnout of supporters has been for Pappas.
Addressing reporters, Pappas said Monday he plans to build a campaign from the “bottom up” without Political Action Committee money.
Most candidates for major office take the opportunity in front of the cameras to say a bit about their hopes and answer a few questions before leaving the office to be greeted by supporters.
Pappas was expected at noon but got to the State House at 11:50 a.m., made brief remarks and then left fairly quickly.
A young man in a red Adidas shirt, who said his name was “Jacob” came running around the hallway on the first floor of the State House near the stairs photographing Pappas leaving the building and encountered a Pappas supporter who tried to block him by holding a Pappas sign in his face, slowing the man down.
Video showed that the two had a brief physical altercation in which the man in red was pushed up against the wall.
“Seriously why did you body check me dude?” he said to the Pappas supporter who also was not identified.
“Nobody body checked you, bro,” said the Pappas supporter, holding a sign.
“Dude you put a shoulder into me,” the man said.
The Pappas supporter said “there is a bunch of witnesses.”
“Dude, all of these witnesses are politically motivated,” the man said.