Oct. 5 - To the Editor:

One challenge voters sometimes face is whether to vote the person or the party. It seems logical to vote for a person with an admirable character and positions that match your own. However, it also seems to make sense to vote for the party best aligned with your policy views.

When you vote for a legislator, you are also voting for the party that will control the legislature. Because the majority controls who sits on which committee, what bills go to each committee, and who sits on committees of conference, a member of the majority has a much greater chance of success with his or her bills, if, and only if, they match leadership priorities. When you vote for an executive, the person sometimes matters more than the party. Administrative ability matters, but so do policy choices.

Given what the Republican majority did this term in the New Hampshire Legislature, if you favor renewable energy, environmental protection, health care coverage, a solution to the opioid crisis and education funding, you should vote to make the legislature Democratic next term. As for the governor's race, both candidates have demonstrated administrative skills, so look to policy differences. I look to the fate of the New Hampshire Health protection plan. Chris Sununu wants to kill it, stripping people of health insurance, giving up federal money, and leaving opiate addicts out in the cold. Colin van Ostern will keep the NHHPP, which is bringing over 800 million federal dollars back to us, helping pay for health insurance policies for over 50,000 Granite Staters, and making it possible for drug new treatment facilities to open. I will be voting for the Democrats this time around.

Rep. Peter Bixby, Strafford District 17