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Jon Lavoie
Jon Lavoie was a 2016 Republican candidate for governor of New Hampshire. He was defeated in the Republican primary election.
Biography
A native of Mason, New Hampshire, Lavoie works as a sales and marketing manager for Guild Optical Associates in Amherst. He has also worked in hot tub sales and repairs, the food service industry, and as a oil and propane delivery driver. His volunteer experience includes volunteer firefighting, Little League coaching, trail maintenance, and dog fostering. He serves on the board of directors for the Hollis NorEasters Snowmobile Club and is the president of the Brookline IceBreakers Snowmobile Club.
Lavoie lives in Hollis with his wife and two sons.[1][2]
Elections
2016
Lavoie filed to run as a Republican candidate for governor of New Hampshire in 2016.[3] He competed with state Rep. Frank Edelblut, state Sen. Jeanie Forrester, Executive Councilor Chris Sununu, and Mayor of Manchester Ted Gatsas.
Chris Sununu defeated Frank Edelblut, Ted Gatsas, Jeanie Forrester and Jon Lavoie in the New Hampshire Republican primary for governor.
| New Hampshire Republican primary for governor, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Chris Sununu |
30.68% | 34,137 |
| Frank Edelblut | 29.79% | 33,149 |
| Ted Gatsas | 20.53% | 22,840 |
| Jeanie Forrester | 17.72% | 19,716 |
| Jon Lavoie | 1.28% | 1,429 |
| Total Votes (300 of 300 precincts reporting) | 111,271 | |
| Source: AP | ||
Campaign themes
2016
Lavoie's campaign website included the following positions:
On the opioid epidemic: "[I]t’s difficult to stop trafficking of a substance that can easily be concealed. There will still be people that get their hands on opioids and need help. I believe that those who need help and want help, should have the opportunity to receive treatment. Proper pharmaceutical and behavioral treatment are typically required. As Governor, I would push to have medical insurance companies include this treatment in their plans, some already do. For those without medical insurance, I am in favor of having the state provide funding for treatment.... Perhaps it’s time to learn from Colorado and start collecting tax dollars on something that people are going to do whether it’s legal or not [marijuana]. Those tax dollars would be able to fund the fight against deadly drugs like heroin, as well as fund many other areas of the state budget that are lacking money."[4]
On abortion: "Am I pro-life or pro-choice? In a black and white world, I suppose I am a Republican who tends to lean a bit to the left on this issue. If that makes me pro-choice, then ok. However I tend to believe that I am just being realistic. In a perfect world, I would wish that there was no need for abortion, but this world is not perfect. There are instances where people are going to make this choice, and it’s simply none of my business."[5]
On welfare reform: "Do I want to make the system a bit more strict, yes, but I don’t want people that need it to have to spend 1 week researching if they are eligible and how to apply. ... I would suggest removing Job Search from the core requirements. This is the loophole that people exploit in order to keep their assistance. Anyone can say they searched for a job for 20 hours a week, and at the end of the week, they can choose to not accept any of those jobs."[6]
On gun control: "There should be a centralized online database to add criminals barred from owning guns. The Federal Government, as well as individual States would be able to update this list. The published online list would make it easy for Joe Public to go online and check whether or not it is OK to sell his gun to Jane Anyguy. It would also make things easier for licensed firearm dealers. Legally transferred firearms under this method would be much easier for anyone to accomplish and could even potentially eliminate the need for long waiting periods in certain States."[7]
On utilities: "I would oppose lines that are not specifically meant to bring energy to NH to use. ... Personally, I would again recommend renewable sources for heat. ... We should make it easy for businesses that want to expand our solar market to thrive. NH should be a place where wood farmers and pellet manufacturers can flourish. These things will reduce our energy bills and make NH a better place to live."[8]
Recent news
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See also
| New Hampshire | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, "My past jobs and volunteer history," accessed August 30, 2016
- ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, "About me," accessed August 30, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, "The heroin epidemic," accessed August 30, 2016
- ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, Pro life of pro choice," accessed August 30, 2016
- ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, "Welfare reform," accessed August 30, 2016
- ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, "An easy fix for the background check," accessed August 30, 2016
- ↑ Jon Lavoie for Governor, "My stance on utilities crossing through New Hampshire," accessed August 30, 2016
