MANCHESTER, N.H. – Rich Girard, former Alderman and Board of School Committee member, this week announced that he will be running a write-in campaign for mayor in the final week before the city’s 2025 municipal election.
The announcement came on a post from his blog, where he voiced frustration with the performance of Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais over his first term, and concerns over school budget spending, the Manchester Health Department’s approach to homestead food manufacturing, the city’s approach to homelessness and other issues.
“Jay Ruais didn’t just abandon his promises to the voters in a hotly contested election two years ago, he ignored them!,” said Girard.
In his post, he said he felt that late entry of Ward 8 Board of School Committee Member Jess Spillers into the race for mayor stemmed from the belief that the city’s Democrats achieved their goals through the efforts of Ruais, adding that his write-in campaign would not be enough to propel Spillers to victory.
While Girard did not believe he could win this year’s election, it was his hope that his effort would encourage voters to come out and support conservative candidates for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as well as the Board of School Committee.
Girard ran for mayor in 2021, finishing third out of three candidates with 2,453 votes following a recount.