Concord Monitor – Claremont’s Stone will seek another term as state representative

State Rep. Jon Stone, R-Claremont, who came under scrutiny earlier this year after the release of disciplinary records detailing nasty threats he made against fellow Claremont police officers 18 years ago, has filed for a second term in New York. Hampshire House representing Sullivan County District 8.

Republican Michael Aron, of Acworth, NH, who is the Sullivan County Republican chairman, will also be on the ballot in the two-seat district that also includes Croydon, Goshen, Langdon, Lempster, Springfield, Sunapee and Washington.

For the Democrats, incumbent Hope Damon of Croydon and Codi Raymond of Claremont have filed to run in District 8. Both Damon and Raymond publicly condemned Stone in April at a city council hearing after his personnel file revealed that he had several threats of violence against fellow officers as well. as chief and his family. He resigned from the department in 2006 under a negotiated settlement with the police union, but the disciplinary records were made public this year after a protracted legal battle by Stone to keep them sealed.

Under pressure from residents, the city council removed Stone from the Claremont Development Authority and the city’s policy committee. Stone potentially lost his re-election bid to the board last November.

In Sullivan County’s only contested primary race, five Republicans will be on the Sept. 10 ballot for three seats in District 6 (Claremont, Croydon). Luke Diamond, Wayne Hemingway, Tom Luther, Robert Merrill Jr. and Emily Sandblade are all from Claremont. Incumbent Rep. Walt Stapleton, R-Claremont, has decided not to seek another term.

Incumbent Rep. John Cloutier, D-Claremont, currently the longest-serving member of the House, and incumbent Rep. Gary Merchant, D-Claremont, are running for re-election in the 6th District and will be joined on the Democratic ticket by newcomer Dale Girard.

Also in Sullivan County, incumbents Brian Sullivan, D-Grantham (District 1), William Palmer, D-Cornish (District 2) and Linda Tanner, D-Sunapee (District 5), are running again. Democrats will also have Nikki Murphy of Newport (District 3) and Claudia Istel of Acworth (District 4) on the November ballot.

They are Skip Rollins, R-Newport, Steve Smith, R-Charlestown, and Walter Spilsbury, R-Charlestown, running to retain their three seats in District 3 (Charlestown, Newport and Unity). Also filing were Republicans Margaret Drye of Plainfield (District 7) and Judy Aron of Acworth (District 4).

For Republicans, Joel T. Hutchins, of Grantham, is running in District 1; Virginia Drye of Plainfield, who lost in the last election, is running again in District 2; and George Grant of Sunapee, who also lost his 2022 bid, is running for the District 5 House seat.

In the county races, Democrat Christine Hilliard of Claremont, the current deputy county attorney, is the only candidate from either party to file for county attorney.

Incumbent County Attorney Marc Hathaway has decided not to seek another term after 38 years in office. Jayson Almstrom, a Cornwall Republican, is also the only candidate to file for sheriff, and incumbent John Simonds is not seeking re-election.

The two incumbent county commissioners on the November ballot are Joe Osgood, R-Claremont (1st District) and George Hebert, R-Goshen (3rd District). Democrat Benjamin Nelson of Claremont will be on the 1st District ballot against Osgood.

The submission period ended last Friday.