New Hampshire

The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted Wednesday to eliminate state funding intended for Planned Parenthood or any other agencies providing elective abortions.

The bill (HB 228) was passed by a margin of 207 to 147, removing state-controlled family planning dollars from abortion providers. Under the bill, public and private entities that provide comprehensive health care to women and do not perform abortions will get first consideration for funding.

House Speaker Bill O'Brien said the House vote was reflective of how the American people feel about funding elective abortion. more >>

Kenneth Starr, president of the world’s largest Baptist educational institution, Baylor University, is urging voters to choose candidates based on who has the qualifications to be president, rather than on which, if any, faith group they belong to.

Starr addressed the upcoming New Hampshire primary and the question prospective voters may be asking themselves regarding a candidate’s religion, mainly if they can vote for someone who is of the Mormon faith, such as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Some, like State Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta), who have endorsed former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich for the Republican nomination, have suggested that Romney’s faith would be a problem for voters. more >>

In just a few days, New Hampshire legislators could make their state's death penalty law the most expansive in the country if they vote in favor of a bill that allows capital punishment to be eligible for all murders without any distinction. Anti-death penalty organizations and church groups are calling for lawmakers to vote against the proposed bill, arguing that capital punishment is too expensive and puts innocent lives at risk.

State Rep. Phil Greazzo (R-Manchester) wrote the bill, HB 162, to make all "purposeful" murders eligible for the death penalty. The Republican legislator claims current state law is unfair and that the death penalty should be more expansive and apply to all cases involving murder.

In New Hampshire, the only crimes that are eligible for the death penalty include the murder of on-duty law enforcement officers, murder-for-hire cases, murder during imprisonment, murder during a rape, kidnapping or burglary, and murders involving drug crimes. more >>

Herman Cain said that his family is “number 1” and announced plans Wednesday to meet with his wife to determine his future in the 2012 race.

In what started as an upbeat, we-won’t-quit speech, Cain told New Hampshire supporters that he would be going home to discuss things with his wife of 43 years, Gloria.

“I have told people that over the next several days, I and my team – but particularly my family – we’re going to do a reassessment,” he told the crowd. more >>

A new poll conducted by Suffolk University in New Hampshire shows Mitt Romney maintaining a strong lead in the Republican presidential race with 41 percent support. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich are tied for a distant second place with 14 percent each.

Former Massachusetts Governor Romney and Texas Congressman Paul are at the same point they were two months ago, the last time Suffolk University polled New Hampshire voters who are likely to vote in the presidential primary.

Former Speaker of the House Gingrich has shown the most movement. He was only at four percent two months ago. more >>

GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich unveiled a strategy Monday to allow young workers to contribute to privatized retirement accounts as part of a plan to phase out entitlement programs such as Social Security.

Speaking at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, he asked the crowd, “I just want to say to every young person in America, why would you want to have an account where for the next 50 or 60 years some politician is going to tell you whether or not you're going to get your own money back?"

He then unveiled a plan that would allow them to establish 401(K)-style accounts to invest and manage the money they currently contribute to social security. more >>