Joel Hutchins is making his second run for this seat after challenging Democratic incumbent Brian Sullivan in 2024 ( Ballotpedia). A Grantham husband and father of two, he supports Education Freedom Accounts and business tax cuts, and he opposes income, sales, and capital gains taxes ( Citizens Count).

Michael Belanger retired to Cornish in 2020 after 37 years with the Departments of Defense and State, and he now runs the Chase House Inn. He wants a cap on annual property tax increases and wider access to Education Freedom Accounts. He also backs paper ballots with hand-count audits and opposes ranked-choice voting ( mikebelanger4nh.com).

Steven Smith of Charlestown is Deputy Speaker of the House and Vice Chair of the Rules Committee, now in his eighth term ( gc.nh.gov). A small business owner who co-owned Smith Scale Speedway ( Ballotpedia), he champions HB 1300, which would let voters set limits on local school taxes ( steve4nh.com). His view of the budget fits in one line: “We don’t have a revenue problem we have a spending problem” ( steve4nh.com).

Skip Rollins of Newport is Vice Chair of State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs ( gc.nh.gov). He was the top vote-getter in Sullivan 3 in 2024 ( Ballotpedia). His votes include cutting the Business Enterprise Tax and widening Education Freedom Account eligibility ( Citizens Count).

Walter “Terry” Spilsbury of Charlestown brings an attorney’s training and a Columbia MBA to the House, where he is Vice Chair of Education Funding and serves on Finance ( Ballotpedia; gc.nh.gov). At home he chairs the Charlestown Planning Board ( Citizens Count). He wants schools to lean less on property taxes and calls no income tax “the ‘NH Advantage’” ( Citizens Count).

Ron Rule of Langdon is a former CEO who says he brought jobs back from China, and he founded the Langdon firearms maker New Hampshire Arsenal ( ronrule.com). He opposes any income, sales, or broad-based tax and wants to clear barriers to new housing ( ronrule.com). His approach to governing: “Decisions about our towns should be made in our towns” ( ronrule.com).

George Grant of Sunapee won this seat in 2024 by 16 votes, 1,686 to 1,670 ( Ballotpedia). A retired building contractor with planning board experience, he serves on the House Housing Committee ( Citizens Count; gc.nh.gov). He supports Education Freedom Accounts and local caps on school district taxes ( Citizens Count).

Dale Girard is Claremont’s mayor, now in his second term, and a lifelong resident who graduated from Stevens High School in 1985 ( girard4nh.com). He has run a business since 1999, including the Golden Cross Ambulance service ( Ballotpedia). Elected to the House in 2024, he joined the Republican Party in April, saying his views no longer lined up with the Democrats ( NHPR). He supports Education Freedom Accounts and opposes every broad-based tax ( Citizens Count).

Wayne Hemingway enlisted in the Army at 17 and retired as a Master Sergeant after 38 years of service ( wayne4nh.com). A Claremont city councilor at large ( Citizens Count), he won his House seat in 2024 and serves on State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs ( gc.nh.gov). His platform puts lower taxes and lower energy costs first, along with firm support for parents’ role in education ( wayne4nh.com).

Emily Sandblade of Claremont is a retired physicist and physics and computer science instructor who still works part time as an engineer. She served in the House from 2012 to 2014 ( Citizens Count), representing Hillsborough 18 ( Ballotpedia). She favors more school choice and zoning that allows duplexes, accessory dwelling units, and tiny homes ( Citizens Count).

Margaret Drye has lived in Plainfield for 46 years and has volunteered with the Cornish Rescue Squad for just as long as a nationally registered EMT ( dryenh.com). She is clerk of the House Education Policy and Administration Committee ( gc.nh.gov) and chairs the Plainfield Finance Committee ( Citizens Count). She won this seat in 2024 with 53.6 percent ( Ballotpedia), and her bills include a business tax credit for child care and help for volunteer first responders ( dryenh.com).

Jonathan Stone is a lifelong Claremont resident, a former state representative, a three-term city councilor, and chair of the Sullivan County Republican Committee ( jonathanfstone.com). He co-owns Black Op Arms ( Citizens Count) and finished first in the September primary ( Citizens Count). On the campaign trail he hears about property taxes more than anything else ( Valley News).