CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said Wednesday that she will not seek reelection to Congress for a seventh term in November, leaving the state's sprawling 2nd District open to a possible GOP successor.
“I always said I was not going to stay in Congress forever," Kuster, 67, said in a statement. She did not explain her decision.
Kuster is the longest-serving member in the history of the mostly rural district, which stretches from New Hampshire’s border with Canada to the Massachusetts line. It includes the cities of Nashua and Concord. The Democratic-leaning district hasn't been in Republican hands since 2013, when the seat was held by Charlie Bass.
“I will continue serving the people of New Hampshire until the end of my term in January 2025," Kuster said. “In the months ahead, I will use my time to help Congress build on the progress we have made and finish the job for the American people. I will continue to lead the New Democrat Coalition to help pass comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to move our country forward.”
FILE - U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., listens during a hearing, March 14, 2022, in Manchester, N.H. Kuster said Wednesday, March 27, 2024 she will not seek reelection to Congress for a seventh term in November, leaving the state's sprawling 2nd District open to a possible GOP successor. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, file)
Kuster, an attorney from Hopkinton, lost to Bass in her first run in 2010. Bass had held that seat for 12 years before getting ousted along with other Republicans nationally in 2006.
Kuster, whose mother held a Republican seat in the state Legislature for 25 years, emphasized her ability to work with both parties. She defeated Bass in 2012 and was reelected five times. She defeated pro-Trump Republican Robert Burns, who runs a pharmaceutical quality control business, in 2022.
“It was certainly a safe seat for her,” said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, adding Kuster was excellent at raising campaign funds.
Scala said Kuster built a reputation in Congress as a moderately liberal Democrat and centrist. Assuming there's a competitive Democratic primary for the seat, it will be interesting to see if the nominee will be more left-leaning than Kuster.
Five Republicans have said they are running to be the party's nominee for the seat.
“I still think it will be a significant lift for a Republican to win that district,” Scala said.
During the last election, Kuster championed her support of the Inflation Reduction Act, which requires Medicare to negotiate lower prices with drug companies. The legislation included Kuster’s bill to eliminate out-of-pocket vaccine costs for seniors and Medicare beneficiaries.
She also sponsored the legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to members of the top-secret World War II Ghost Army 75 years after their service.
Kuster was founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. She was founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence.
“As I look to the future, I am excited by the work and opportunities that lie ahead. We all have a role to play in standing up for what we believe in, advocating for a better future, and pursuing the change that we want to see," she said.
Kuster has spoken about her post-traumatic stress from being trapped in the House gallery as rioters tried to beat down the doors on Jan. 6, 2021. The insurrection interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory. Kuster calls herself a “survivor, witness, victim of the insurrection on Jan. 6 in our Capitol.”
Her colleague in Congress, First District U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, called her " a trailblazer and a respected leader who always puts the needs of Granite Staters first.
“I know that her work fighting for important priorities is far from over, whether that’s continuing bipartisan collaboration to address addiction and mental health, standing up for reproductive freedom, or safeguarding our democracy,” the Democrat said.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A new mandate that requires school districts across New Mexico to adopt calendars that consist of at least 180 days was put on hold by a judge on Monday while he considers the change's legality.
Dozens of school districts and superintendents have been challenging the state Public Education Department over the change. Teacher unions and Republican lawmakers also have raised concerns about the rule.
In granting the school districts' request for a preliminary injunction, Judge Dustin Hunter said the rule undermines the Legislature's intent when it adopted legislation in 2023 that called for extending the number of hours children spend in the classroom and the time teachers have for professional development.
“If the Legislature had intended to expand the number of days with all the accompanying costs — such as transportation and food and specialty providers such as special education and everything else — it necessarily would have provided the funding or given clear guidance as to why it was unable to,” Hunter said.
The plaintiffs had argued that the requirement would result in budget shortfalls, particularly for districts that have operated on four-day weeks for decades.
“There are 89 different stories in 89 different districts and 89 different ways of getting good education to kids,” testified Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Education Leaders. “They are very different. One size does not fit all.”
State officials contend the change will ultimately improve educational outcomes.
Holly Agajanian, the chief general counsel for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, argued that the school districts would not be harmed if the state is allowed to move forward with implementing the mandate pending a ruling on the merits of the case.
She said the districts could submit budgets with two alternative calendars — one complying with the 180-day rule and one assuming the school does not need to meet the mandate if the districts win their case.
Agajanian told the court that although there have been substantial comments about the rule, the court “should not view it as the opinion of the public, especially when balancing harms.”
Attorneys for the school districts said 98% of the thousands of public comments were against the rule.
Hunter acknowledged that the state has created a Catch-22 in that it is requiring districts to submit budgets and schedules and apply for waivers even though they won't have the student performance data needed to determine if they are eligible for an exemption.
The courtroom in Roswell was packed Monday, and dozens of school officials, lawmakers and district attorneys tuned into the livestream.
Consideration of the 180-day rule began last year, spurring much opposition. It wasn’t until this year’s legislative session wrapped up that the Public Education Department announced it would be implementing the rule that would take effect July 1.
Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero told reporters in March that the change was just one of many things his agency was implementing as it works to pull New Mexico up from the bottom of national education rankings. He pointed to structured literacy programs in kindergarten and earlier grades, technical education and internship opportunities for older students and summer programs that can help keep students on track.
Romero had said the agency listened to those who spoke out during a public comment period and that flexibility was built in to allow for four-day weeks — as long as districts could show increases in academic performance.
As for the legislation passed in 2023, New Mexico increased the number of hours students needed to be in school from roughly 1,000 hours to 1,140 hours. The change meant several districts around the state had to lengthen the school day or add more days to meet the requirement. The legislation also allowed space for professional development for teachers within a normal school day.
In the community of Logan, Superintendent Dennis Roch testified that the new rule will result in “astronomical” costs for the tiny district to add 33 days to its calendar to come into compliance. He said the additional cost for teacher salaries, not including any support staff, would total around $388,000 — which exceeds what the district pays to heat, cool and power its buildings.
“It's just unworkable,” he said of absorbing the costs.
FILE - New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham gestures during a virtual news conference from the state Capitol in Santa Fe, N.M., on July 23, 2020. A New Mexico judge has put on hold a new mandate imposed by Grisham's administration that requires school districts across the state to adopt calendars that consist of at least 180 days. The ruling came Monday, May 13, 2024, as dozens of school districts and superintendents challenged the state Public Education Department over the legality of the change. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)
