August 17, 2026 | Top Stories from the House Republican Newsletter
Democrats approve 2028 early voting plan, demoting New Hampshire
The Democratic Party officially voted at its Saturday meeting in Austin, Texas, to approve a 2028 presidential nomination early voting primary calendar, which ousts New Hampshire and Iowa from their historical top spots and leaves state officials to decide whether they will go rogue.
“The DNC has delivered a 2028 nominating calendar that truly represents our party and our values, and will help us retake the White House in 2028,” Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic Party, said in a news release after the vote.
Are NH Dems Already Surrendering FITN Primary?
It’s no secret the Democratic National Committee wants to throw New Hampshire’s First-in-the-Nation presidential primary under the identity-politics bus.
But is state party chair Ray Buckley quietly helping them do it?
Under the calendar passed by the DNC on Saturday, South Carolina would hold its primary on Jan. 22, 2028, followed by Nevada on Feb. 1 and New Hampshire on Feb. 8.
Now that the DNC calendar directly contradicts New Hampshire’s state law, veteran political insiders tell NHJournal it’s been extremely difficult to get a straight answer on how the state and national party organizations will proceed.
https://nhjournal.com/are-nh-dems-already-surrendering-fitn-primary/
DEMERS: The Story Behind NH’s 12,500 Education Freedom Accounts
New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account program has reached its current enrollment cap of 12,500 students, with another 943 eligible students already waiting for an opportunity to participate as of Aug. 13. The milestone is notable for its size, but the more important story is how New Hampshire got here: one family, one child, and one educational decision at a time.
Behind every EFA is a family that looked at a child’s education and decided to seek something different: a different school, homeschooling, tutoring, educational therapies, specialized curriculum, online learning, or some combination of those options. The circumstances are different from one family to the next, but each family’s journey began in much the same place, with a parent asking what their child needs and searching for an educational path that could provide it.
https://nhjournal.com/demers-the-story-behind-nhs-12500-education-freedom-accounts/
Rep. Lisa Mazur Previews NH Veto Day & Protecting Women’s Spaces
New Hampshire State Representative Lisa Mazur joins The Morning Update host Jeff Chidester to offer an insider look at the upcoming NH Veto Day.
Rep. Mazur breaks down the legislative battlefield, analyzing which vetoed bills have the support needed for an override and which face an uphill battle.
Plus, Rep. Mazur and Jeff dive into crucial efforts surrounding the protection of female athletics, safe spaces, and privacy for girls and women across the Granite State.
https://1370wfea.com/morning-update/rep-lisa-mazur-previews-nh-veto-day-protecting-womens-spaces/
New Hampshire Advantage 2.0: A Strategic Blueprint for Prosperity
The New Hampshire Advantage 2.0 is a strategic blueprint designed to grow state revenue and provide property tax relief without resorting to a sales or income tax. As the state moves past the elimination of the Interest and Dividends Tax, the path to prosperity lies in transforming New Hampshire into a national powerhouse for regulatory excellence and high-margin commerce.
Rather than raising tax rates, the strategy seeks to increase the total volume of business tax revenue through three specific initiatives: 1) make existing New Hampshire companies more profitable by reducing the cost of doing business and expanding access to better aligned trading partners, 2) strategic recruitment of "high-margin" industries—such as Life Sciences and Healthcare, Financial Services and Insurance, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing—that bring high-paying jobs. This strategy is intended to retain young people (currently a major "export") and attract working-age families who will contribute to the local economy, and 3) Establishing a Chancery Court to compete with states like Delaware and Texas. This would allow New Hampshire to capture recurring corporate filing fees and legal industry revenue (tapping into the "DEXIT" trend) without requiring companies to physically relocate.
STATE GOVERNMENT IN THE NEWS:
Former NH House speaker’s nonprofit collected $274,000 from casinos with no sign of charitable work
https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-08-17/former-nh-house-speakers-nonprofit-collected-274-000-from-casinos-with-no-sign-of-charitable-work
Can a student ID be used for voting? NH is among the Republican-led states banning it
https://www.nhpr.org/national/2026-08-17/advocates-worry-new-bans-on-student-ids-will-trip-up-young-voters
Jim Creighton: Property taxes are pricing out vets
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/jim-creighton-property-taxes-are-pricing-out-vets/article_4929a9d0-1621-400b-acc3-1d6684d54be1.html
William L. O’Brien: We're being fed misleading information about hunger
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/william-l-o-brien-were-being-fed-misleading-information-about-hunger/article_a7425359-0b63-4557-a5fa-cc5e2806e0cb.html
Opinion: Overcoming Gov. Ayotte’s veto should be first step in providing farmers with relief and consumers with local meat at reasonable prices
https://www.concordmonitor.com/2026/08/16/new-hampshire-hb-396-veto-override/
MONDAY MEMO: Stefany Shaheen’s Closing Message: ‘I Hate Israel, Too!’
https://nhjournal.com/monday-memo-stefany-shaheens-closing-message-i-hate-israel-too/
Ayotte’s Record Veto Pen Sets Stage for Marathon Veto Day
https://nhjournal.com/ayottes-record-veto-pen-sets-stage-for-marathon-veto-day/
NATIONAL STORIES:
President Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea
https://www.wmur.com/article/trump-scales-back-us-south-korea-military-exercises/73446771
Trump orders military to ‘substantially reduce’ joint exercises with South Korea
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-orders-military-substantially-reduce-joint-exercises-south-korea-rcna592832
Tropical Storm Lala rakes Hawaii with high winds and rain without making landfall
https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/storms/lala-tropical-storm-drenching-rain-hawaiian-islands-rcna592788
Mass. Gov. Healey faces Catholic excommunication threat over abortion bill
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/mass-gov-healey-faces-catholic-excommunication-threat-over-abortion-bill/article_f06f4221-4a25-42c9-a205-92d4ec6c993d.html
How the new federal housing act will affect NH’s real estate crunch
https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-08-17/how-the-new-federal-housing-act-will-affect-nhs-real-estate-crunch
GOP legislative agenda faces tight September deadline ahead of midterms
https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6403575073112
US-Iran ceasefire set to expire Monday as peace talks show no progress
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/us-iran-war-news-trump-israel-hormuz-august-17
New York socialist lawmaker takes heat after saying shoplifting results from 'biological need'
https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-york-socialist-lawmaker-takes-heat-after-saying-shoplifting-results-from-biological-need
Trump threatens to ‘bomb’ Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ as U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/17/us-iran-war-trump-hormuz.html
Depleted strategic oil reserve nears level that raises concerns about damage to caverns, operations
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/15/strategic-petroleum-reserve-spr-oil-iran-war-caverns.html
Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea
https://apnews.com/article/korea-trump-military-exercises-ae21e0af5ea16f0a74e9a176b3cc2136
After killing hundreds in boat strikes, US military expands campaign on land in Latin America
https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-operations-latin-american-western-hemisphere-a1fccf4414e44341d3dbd54e19ae1ba4
USDA drops 1.1 million rabies baits over Vermont, New Hampshire and New York
https://vnews.com/2026/08/15/usda-drops-1-1-million-rabies-baits-over-vermont-new-hampshire-and-new-york/
ADDITIONAL STORIES:
Jaffrey man charged with OUI after 911 calls report dangerous 100 mph driving on Maine highway
https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-man-oui-100-mph-maine-highway/73446329
BIA Business Perspective: New Hampshire has the foundation to lead on economic competitiveness
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/columns/bia-business-perspective-new-hampshire-has-the-foundation-to-lead-on-economic-competitiveness/article_511b7ca4-954f-4b3d-acad-3ab58899fbcf.html
John B. Sullivan Jr.: CMC was at a crossroads, something had to change
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/john-b-sullivan-jr-cmc-was-at-a-crossroads-something-had-to-change/article_fb5300bf-4044-43a2-96dc-180e9543aaf0.html
Everything you wanted to know about political signs but were afraid to ask
https://www.concordmonitor.com/2026/08/16/nh-primary-campaign-sign-rules/
From Claremont Chaos to Vermont Finance: Mary Henry Is Back
https://nhjournal.com/from-claremont-chaos-to-vermont-finance-mary-henry-is-back/
Rate of inflation doubles during the spring
https://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/local/rate-of-inflation-doubles-during-the-spring/article_7a5f8d9d-6d48-5a21-8c38-1828f2852949.html