Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!
0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8d180000Race: District 2, U.S. House of RepresentativesParty: RepublicanPolitical Experience: 2009-present - New Hampshire HousePersonal: Lives in SalemEducation: Bachelor’s, New England Conservatory of Music and Tufts University; Masters, Harvard University Kennedy School of GovernmentCandidate WebsiteIssuesGarcia says she is running to repair the “complete breakdown of trust” between elected officials and citizens. "Within the latest spate of scandals from the Obama administration, be it what happened with the IRS, the incompetence and lack of accountability within the VA, the attempted cover up and aftermath of the incident in Benghazi, and then of course Obamacare."People like to debate policy, they have no problem with that. They can understand if people have opposing views, but when you foist something upon the American people based on a false premise and sold on basically lies, that’s really problematic.Garcia says she’ll work to “dismantle” the Affordable Care Act and replace it with “bottom-up reforms.” She supports giving individuals who buy their own insurance the same tax benefits as those who get it from their employers, and she’d allow consumers to buy insurance across state lines.“Next generation conservative leadership means providing alternatives that enhance health care options for all New Hampshire families. Instead of top-down solutions, in which politicians, bureaucrats and insurance executives are in charge of our decision-making, we should promote bottom-up solutions in which consumers make decisions for themselves."A member of the Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, Garcia says the country’s immigration system “makes it too complicated to stay here legally and too easy to stay illegally. After negative ads from an opponent that accused her of supporting "amnesty," Garcia has had to reiterate her opposition to granting legal status to undocumented immigrants.“[W]e can’t all of a sudden just because we have a humanitarian crisis or some sense of urgency to put other people at the front of the line. Everybody has to go to their proper place in the back of the line. And also to prevent another crisis from popping up, we absolutely have to secure our border."

Garcia Enters 2nd CD Race

Salem Republican Marilinda Garcia's voting record in the New Hampshire House is conservative – on fiscal and social issues -- and the 30 year-old conservatory-trained harpist says she wants to apply lessons she's learned in Concord in Congress. The big one, she says, is that the federal government needs to do less.

"In my four terms in the Legislature I’ve seen it cause the problem and be the problem that we as citizens have to solve and work around to get our state on the right track."

Former GOP State Senator Gary Lambert, an ex-Marine Colonel and lawyer is already seeking the Republican nomination in the second district. When asked about his candidacy, Garcia said it’s important to have a new generation’s perspective in Washington.   

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.