Advertisement NH Primary Source: Freshmen ‘blue wave’ NH lawmakers back Pete Buttigieg Share Shares Copy Link Copy

BACKING PETE. Two first-term freshmen Democratic state House members who won seats previously held by Republicans last year are backing Mayor Pete Buttigieg for president.The endorsements from the “blue wave” freshmen come as Buttigieg rolled out a sweeping health care plan billed by his campaign as “Medicare for All Who Want It.”Backing Buttigieg are Reps. Michelle St. John of Hollis and Harrison Kanzler of North Conway, both citing what they view as Buttigieg’s ability to unite the nation.“The most important task for our next president is to bridge the divide in our country,” said St. John, a former member of the Hollis School Board and co-founder of the Hollis Parks Project, which raised money to improve children’s playgrounds.“There is no question that Pete Buttigieg is a leader who will heal our country and bring Americans together to address the tremendous challenges we face.”She said Buttigieg’s health care plan “would give Americans the freedom to choose the best plan for them and their families, while at the same time ensuring everyone has access to the care they need. That’s exactly the kind of bold, big thinking we need to solve our most pressing problems -- without further dividing our country.”Kanzler said: “The greatest problems facing our country have been years in the making -- yet leaders in Washington have been unable or unwilling to do anything to address them. It’s time for a new generation of leaders, like Pete, to take charge.“Like me, Pete comes from a generation that lived through the Great Recession and watched as leaders in Washington neglected the big challenges facing our country -- from the looming climate crisis to an economy that leaves too many behind. During a time of partisan division, Pete is a leader who can unite Americans around our shared values and ensure we take action to improve people’s lives.”UPDATE: Also endorsing Buttigieg later Thursday as four-term state Rep. John Mann of Alstead.