Raymond Buckley, New Hampshire’s first openly gay Democratic Party chair, has filed to run for a historic eighth term. The Granite State’s Democratic committee will meet on March 14 to take the vote.
And for only the second time since he assumed the position in 2007, Chair Buckley is facing a competitor in the race — this time in another LGBTQ community leader, Somersworth business owner Emmet Soldati, according to New Hampshire’s WMUR-TV 9. Previously, Buckley had served as state rep from 1986 to 2004 and is a member of the DNC’s LGBT Caucus.
Report’s WMUR:
Buckley could not be reached for immediate comment, but party sources said he will make a formal announcement soon.
The Manchester resident has led the party through many successful cycles at the presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, legislative, county and local levels, while heading a major expansion of its fundraising and grassroots operations.
During his tenure, Democrats won four presidential races in the state, four of seven governor’s races, three of four U.S. Senate races, 11 of 14 U.S. House races as well as majorities three times in the New Hampshire House, twice in the state Senate and three times on the Executive Council. Nine of the state’s mayors are currently Democrats.
In 2020, three incumbent members of the state’s congressional delegation – Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas — won their bids for reelection, while President-elect Joe Biden won the state’s four electoral votes. …
Buckley, 61, has been a member of the Democratic National Committee for 21 years, including eight years as a DNC vice chair. He was the first openly gay vice chair of the national party and is a member of the DNC’s LGBT Caucus.
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