Health & Fitness
Dan Innis for Congress
I met Dan a couple of months ago at lunch with a couple of other people who, like me, had not met Dan before. The brief lunch turned into an hour and a half lunch, and I walked away impressed by Dan, and the reason why he had decided to run for Congress.
Dan is not the typical candidate; he doesn't have a history of politics, and he isn't making flashy promises or pandering to folks. He served as the Dean of the College of Business and Economics at UNH since 2007. He is also a small business owner, and is about to open a hotel in Portsmouth. Unlike most politicians, Dan not only has signed the back of check; he signs the front of checks, and knows what it means to make payroll, and to take care of his employees.
The lunch was a good indication of the type of person Dan would be if elected. The next thing was to watch Dan on the "stump", and see how he handled a larger group with a wide spectrum of questions, and, to a more diverse audience than a couple of business owners (as was the case at lunch). Last night, at a meet and greet here in Bedford, Dan passed that test with flying colors. He started out by wanting to meet those who were serving food (being in the hospitality business, Dan understands the importance of hard working employees). Over the next hour, Dan greeted folks as they made their way to the event, and asked them what their concerns were, and what they want to see out of their Congressman. He was very much at ease and that seemed to resonate well.
The event was well attended, with close to 100 people there, most of whom had never met Dan before, and many had not heard much about him before last night. What was striking about last night is that there were over a dozen current and former elected officials who represent/represented Bedford at the event. As a former elected official myself, I asked each of these people what their impression of Dan was, and they all shared the same sense as myself; Dan is a good guy, a good candidate, and will be a good Congressman. He listens and his agenda is to do what is right for NH.
Dan then took to the "stump" to talk about who he is and why he is running. He is running to help fix the health care system. He is running to reduce the size of, and dependency on Government. He is running to make sure that small businesses, which are the backbone of NH, are not bogged down with regulations and onerous restrictions. He is running because he feels that local school boards and councils should make decisions for people; not the federal government. He is running because he believes our debt and deficit need to be brought under control. He is running because he wants to work to find common ground to move our country forward.
One thing he made clear; he is not a professional politician and does not see this as a career move. He is leaving a safe position, as Dean of the UNH's Business School, to serve NH. He stated he would not serve more than 12 years; the equivalent to 2 Senate terms. That is the first time I have heard a politician running for federal office talk about a self-imposed term limit. That, in itself, speaks volumes.
Dan answered some questions and as Q&A wrapped up, there was one final question posed by one of Bedford's State Reps. It was a complex question that many in the room understood. The fact is, there is no easy answer to the question. Rather than fumble along and give a canned response, Dan related his own experience with the issue, and summed it up by saying that he did not have an easy answer to the question, but like other issues that are out there, he is wiling to listen to ideas on how to solve problems, and that he wants to hear from NH residents. That sums up Dan; unlike other candidates who use "slick talking points" that their operatives come up, he is genuine. There is no agenda, it is truly about the people of NH.
Dan then spent the next hour going around and talking to folks, and the conversations which I overheard were very, very positive. A candidate looking to represent NH folks, and people looking for a Congressman whom they can trust and believe in, and who is running for the right reasons.
After Dan left the home, I asked one of the guests, who by the way is fairly new to NH, what their impression was of Dan. The answer was simple: tonight was great; it was a chance to meet a candidate up close and personal and that is what NH politics is all about.
Grassroots campaigning is what makes NH unique; it brings the candidates into our homes, businesses, places of worship, and town hall gatherings. It allows us to ask questions and to get to know candidates for any office. Dan Innis scored a "10" last night, and his support among Republicans and Independents continues to grow, and I believe NH will be a much better place with Dan Innis representing us in the 1st Congressional District.