Democrat Billie Butler wins special election to represent Somersworth and Rollinsford in NH House
Billie Butler won a special election Tuesday to replace Dawn Evans, who moved out of the district, in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Butler, a Democrat, defeated Republican Ken Hilton by a vote of 964-774. Butler will now represent Strafford County District 12, which includes Somersworth and Rollinsford. Butler carried the vote in both communities. The district has reliably gone to Democrats in recent elections.
Prior to Tuesday’s election, Republicans had a 218-177 majority (there are two independents) in the 400-seat House, including resignations. Butler’s victory brings Democrats’ number back to 178, where it was before Evans, a Democrat, resigned. Two Republicans have also resigned this legislative session.
Butler is a transgender woman active in the Seacoast theater community. She told Foster’s Daily Democrat during the campaign that she plans to advocate strongly for the arts and that she “would like to see more people run who do not have divisive agendas, but who really love New Hampshire. I don’t look at this like national politics, because it isn’t. Our legislators are our neighbors, our friends.” During the campaign, she saw attacks from the Committee to Elect House Republicans, which is led by House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, including a website targeting her for her transgender identity and arguing she has radical views on LGBTQ issues.
https://newhampshirebulletin.com/briefs/democrat-billie-butler-wins-special-election-to-represent-somersworth-and-rollinsford-in-nh-house/