Election results prompt understandable celebration in the Lynch camp, and an odd silence from Governor Benson.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers has more.
A day after pulling out a 51 to 49 percent win, John Lynch and supporters met at Manchester's Merrimack restaurant. Lynch chose to defer speaking of the future in favor of savoring the here and now.
"This is a fresh start for NH and we need to make the most of it. You are going to be hearing a lot from me in the coming days…..Today though I just want to celebrate this victory for the people of New Hampshire and with the people of NH because they are the ones who made it possible……."
Governor Benson, meanwhile has yet to speak in public about the election….Be it to supporters, reporters or the state as a whole…..Benson did not even make it to his campaign's headquarters on election night……He instead watched returns from a hotel room, before heading home around midnight -- more than an hour before the race was called……After informing the 50 or so loyalists who awaited the governor that Benson was not going to show, spokesman Jack Heath told reporters that the governor had had enough.
"He just reached a point where he was going kind of crazy waiting, and so he just wanted to hit it in the morning."
Come morning, the governor hit nothing in the way of public appearances… And apart from a brief interview with the Associated Press, he denied media requests…..Benson's staff served up a variety of explanations for the Governor's conduct.....First a spokesman said Benson was too busy working on the state budget to comment on his defeat……Then a second spokesman said Benson was not in Concord…..Several minutes later the Governor was spotted exiting the statehouse. When approached by reporters, Benson walked away. .….Ultimately Benson staffer Alicia Preston spoke on the Governor's behalf.…..She said she had no idea what Craig Benson had planned for the rest of the day, but confirmed that he concedes defeat……
"I will tell you knowing Craig Benson that he believes things happen for a reason…..and the old cliché when a door closes another one opens…..He's ready to go take the next stage in his life. He's positive about it and he's ready to move forward."
Preston added that the governor had a conference call will all state agency heads where he told them to "keep the momentum up" for the 60 days left in his term….Preston also said the Governor had personally spoken with Governor-elect Lynch.
"He congratulated him, he wished him the best of luck and I'm sure he will make the transition as easy as possible."
But an hour later John Lynch said that conversation never took place, but Lynch said he did receive a phone message…..When asked to comment on the Governor's failure to offer a concession speech, Lynch said that ball remains in Benson's court..
"I can only control what I do myself…..So he has to decide how he wants to manage his campaign."
Among the issues that could emerge during Benson's lame duck months in office are retooling the state's Medicaid system……and the possible selection of a new education Commissioner.
