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0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8d710002Race: GovernorParty: RepublicanPolitical Experience: Former chairman, Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire; state director, Newt Gingrich’s 2012 presidential campaignPersonal: Married with two children; lives in BristolEducation: Ambassador Baptist CollegeCampaign WebsiteIssuesAt 32, Hemingway is seeking to become the youngest governor in Granite State history. So perhaps it’s not surprising that he emphasizes the need to retain and attract younger workers and the businesses that will hire them.“We see obviously that technology, we see biotech, we see high tech manufacturing. These industries favor the younger, more technical workers. Those are industries we see suffering here in New Hampshire. We see them prospering in Massachusetts, we see them prospering in some other states. We need to look at the reasons why that’s happening. I think that a young governor could be the spokesperson for that.”Hemingway has generated attention with his plan to reform New Hampshire’s tax structure. He wants to eliminate the business profits tax and the Medicaid Enhancement Tax and reduce the interest and dividends tax from 5 percent to 2 percent.To replace the revenue, Hemingway is proposing a two percent "Business Flat Tax" that would apply to nonprofits and government agencies. “It’s simple, it’s predictable, and I think it would be a great relief to the business owners in our state and would make us attractive once again as a state to move businesses here and to relocate businesses to New Hampshire, makes us competitive.”A supporter of Rep. Bill O’Brien’s tenure as House Speaker, Hemingway supports right to work legislation and the business tax credit scholarship program. He opposes bipartisan agreements in 2014 to expand Medicaid and to raise the gas tax, and is a critic of the Common Core education standards.“We all know that all of our children are different. They learn in different ways. They learn from different experiences. In one classroom, where we put 25 children, and they sit there for eight hours a day and are taught the same way every single day is not conducive to learning for a number of those students. Why would we hinder them? Why would we hold them back simply because of our political allegiance to this program called Common Core?”Hemingway’s platform includes a detailed “Privacy First” policy. Decrying what he calls government’s “open season” on everything from medical records to EZ Pass, he supports legislation outlawing the collection and use of cell-phone data, emails and video surveillance without a warrant.

GOP Candidate Puts Forward Alternative Gambling Plan

Todd Bookman
/
NHPR

Republican gubernatorial candidate Andrew Hemingway laid out his own gaming proposal on the same day the New Hampshire House voted down a two casino plan.

Hemingway, a conservative activist from Bristol, opposes what he calls 'Las Vegas style campus casinos' like those considered in the bill voted on by lawmakers.

Instead, he says already functioning charitable gaming sites in New Hampshire should be able to add slot machines to their operations.

“This is a plan that absolutely increases revenue to the state,” says Hemingway. “But it is not the cornerstone of how do we solve our current revenue problem.”

He says his plan would generate nearly $90 million in additional money, a quarter of which would be allocated to the state budget.

It would allow a total of 1,600 slot machines, including 400 hosted at locations outside of charitable gaming facilities, such as restaurants or ski resorts.

“This is a plan that is built from the premise of let the free market decide the best allocation of resources.”

Under the proposal, charities would receive 35% of revenues earned by new slot machines, with the hosting facility retaining 38% of revenues. 

Todd started as a news correspondent with NHPR in 2009. He spent nearly a decade in the non-profit world, working with international development agencies and anti-poverty groups. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University.
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