MANCHESTER, N.H. – Earlier this week, approximately three dozen local activists gathered at the home of Manchester resident Pat Kalik to write postcards to other New Hampshire residents warning them about Project 2025.
An initiative of the right-wing Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 describes itself as a menu of policy suggestions offered by over 100 conservative organizations. Meanwhile Democrats have used Project 2025 as a talking point, calling it an attempt to consolidate executive power and deploy a network of loyal personnel from a hypothetical second Trump administration to fundamentally undermine basic government resources and programs, among other various criticisms.
The event was kicked off with speeches from Kalik, Manchester City Democrats Secretary Maxine Mosley, State Representative Heidi Hamer (D-Manchester) and Manchester Board of School Committee Vice Chair and Executive Council candidate Jim O’Connell.
O’Connell referred to attempts by the Trump campaign to distance itself from Project 2025 as “word salad.”
“It’s their stuff, it’s their people, it’s of them, it resonates with who they are,” said O’Connell. “It doesn’t ring true when they run away from it because it’s mostly things that they’ve been talking about since they began.”
O’Connell left the event feeling energized while Christine Corriveau of Bow felt energized before getting there. Like several others at the event, Corriveau’s enthusiasm rose after incumbent President Joe Biden made way for Vice President Kamala Harris, with Corriveau stating that Biden put his ego aside for the good of the country.
While Corriveau described herself as a registered independent and said that this year marked the first time she has volunteered for a political campaign, she is fearful what might happen to her female and LGBTQ relatives if Trump is re-elected and indicated that she hopes to volunteer at more comparable events in the future.
“So, I just want (America) to get out of crazy town. I feel like we have been stuck in crazy town for almost a decade,” she said.
As for Kalik, she pretty much feels the same way as O’Connell, Corriveau and others at the event. That and she didn’t expect so many people to come to her house on a weekday morning. Then again, she has noticed a difference among fellow Democrats recently.
“We thought we’d get 10 or 15 people and it seems like a lot more, which is great I guess this is indicative of the new energy that’s come after the Democratic Party replaced Joe Biden with Kamala Harris as its nominee,” she said. “While I was enthused when Joe Biden was the nominee, I’m seeing difference in how many people are interested, especially with my nieces and nephews and cousins in the 30 to 40-year-old range.”