Craig Touts Record as Manchester Mayor: ‘It’s something I’m very proud of’

Former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig received several questions about her record in the Queen City when she filed to run for governor on Friday. But they all got the same answer.

“My recovery as mayor of Manchester is something I’m very proud of,” Craig told the NHJournal when asked what role he would play six years into that job in the Democratic primary for governor. “I have executive experience. We’ve been on the front lines of meeting our statewide challenges, implementing evidence-based solutions, and making progress on those challenges.”

She offered variations on the theme to other reporters as well.

The conventional political wisdom is that the perception of Manchester as a city inundated with crime, homelessness and drugs under Craig’s tenure is a drag on her campaign. And New Hampshire Republicans are making no secret of their delight at the prospect of running against Mayor “Manch-ghanistan” Craig.

Her primary Democratic opponent, Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, is already pointing to voters’ verdict on Craig’s tenure as evidence that Craig has a political problem.

Joyce Craig is joined by supporters as she files for the June 14, 2024 Democratic primary for governor.

“I’m not going to judge what Joyce Craig did,” Warmington told radio host Jack Heath last month. “I think the best judge is what happened in the mayoral election in November. Republicans responded, “Do you want more of what you’ve had, or do you want change?” And the Republicans won that race, and they also won the mayor’s and alderman’s board.

“I think that speaks for itself,” Warmington said.

When the NHJournal asked Craig about that Warmington criticism, the former mayor stood by her statement.

“I think the voters need to understand that I did the job. I have the executive experience to walk into this office and get things done on day one,” Craig said. “That’s what New Hampshire voters are looking for, someone who understands the challenges, who can get things done, and that’s the experience I have.”

When another reporter asked about Democrats’ concerns Craig would spend all his time defending his record in Manchester and the Democrats’ defeat in the municipal election, Craig said it didn’t happen.

“So again, the record I have in Manchester still stands. The work we have done has had a positive impact not only on the people of Manchester, but across our state.”

That’s the same approach the Craig campaign took in January, when campaign manager Craig Brown released a poll note claiming her “mayoral record” was a winner.

“I like Joyce, but ‘don’t turn my town into Manchester’ is a message that Republicans could really use against her,” a longtime Granite State Democrat told the NHJournal.

One of Craig’s strengths that was exposed in the case was her support from unions. Glenn Brackett, president of the New Hampshire AFL-CIO, was on hand to support her bid.

“Joyce Craig is the strongest choice for working families in New Hampshire, and we are proud to support her campaign for governor,” Brackett said when his union endorsed her earlier this year. “We know Joyce will work tirelessly to raise wages and protect workers, which is why we will work tirelessly to make sure Joyce is the next governor of New Hampshire.”

Craig has also been endorsed by the New Hampshire Building Trades and Construction Council.

The Manchester Democrat only discussed policy specifics in passing Friday. On the state’s housing shortage issue, Craig said he would “take a look at the underutilized land and buildings that the state has.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte has hit it off for more than 300 days over her refusal to say whether or not she supports sanctuary city policies in New Hampshire. Asked about this again, Craig repeated an answer he had given in the past.

“I want to be clear: New Hampshire is not a sanctuary state, and nothing would change if I were governor.”

She also said she would not repeat Gov. Chris Sununu’s decision to send New Hampshire rangers to the Texas-Mexico border to help slow the flow of illegal immigrants into the US.

“This is a federal issue. And I would work with our federal delegation to make sure the funding is there. It’s not something that I think should be a burden on the taxpayers of New Hampshire,” Craig said.