Governor John Lynch goes into this election as the odds on favorite to win a third term. Few, if any, political observers give Republican challenger Joe Kenney much chance of unseating him. Lynch’s opponent in the democratic primary, retired Teacher Katy Forry, faces an even bigger challenge. Forry lacks fame, money and staff. She’s also based her campaign on a policy that has never led to the corner office: passage of a general state income tax. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Josh Rogers has more.
If one were asked to identify the Gubernatorial candidate in the crowd at a recent seniors lunch at the Jaffery VFW hall, it might take some luck to guess Katy Forry on the first try……The 67 year old Minnesota native freely admits she’s not exactly a natural when it comes to pressing the flesh.
“I’m not interested in publicity, even in running for governor. You know, I’m a quiet person.”
Forry’s record in seeking office bears out that appraisal: She lost the three times she’s run for a seat in the Legislature. Her campaign flyers include neither biography, nor photograph and she has no website. But she does have her convictions.
“Voters keep voting for aristocrats for governor. And people have to know that if I’m not the Governor we are going to have two more years of the pledge and having our property taxes go up.”
Her suggested remedy is what she calls her property tax revolution. Specifically, she wants to exempt the first 200 thousand dollars of value on a homeowner’s primary residence, cut the statewide property tax in half, and then enact a new levy – preferably an income tax – to make up the shortfall.
You can’t run on that in the state, but I’m glad it’s getting into the election.”
That’s 78-year old Louis Rickl. The retired mailman says he’ll vote for Forry. A few feet away sat Bob Chamberlain, a former Jaffrey selectman who epitomizes the problem faced by any challenger to Lynch. The lifelong Republican said he’s got no problem with the current occupant of the corner office.
“Lynch is a good republican, hahaha. Where’s my coffee gone?”
While the Governor and most democrats would take exception to that description, a July poll from UNH showed the governor running strong across the political spectrum – 86 percent approval among democrats; 64 percent among republicans. With that kind of popularity it’s easy to see why Lynch was so blase when asked about Forry at a recent press conference.
“You know I know what I’ve read in the newspaper.”
-Do you know her name?
“I do know her name is Katy Forry.”
Katy Forry’s name will appear on the Democratic primary ballot on September 9th.
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