Richard Merkt

Richard Merkt

Republican Party

Prior offices

New Jersey General Assembly District 25

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Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Yale University, 1971

Graduate

University of Pennsylvania, 1987

Law

Fordham University School of Law, 1975

Personal

Birthplace

New York, N.Y.

Religion

Roman Catholic

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Richard Merkt (Republican Party) was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, representing District 25. He assumed office in 1998. He left office on January 10, 2010.

Merkt (Republican Party) ran for election to the New Hampshire State Senate to represent District 10. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Richard Merkt was born in Manhattan, New York. He earned his B.A. in history from Yale University in 1971, his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1975 and his M.G.A. in governmental administration from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987. His professional experience includes working as an attorney, as vice president/general counsel for Transistor Devices, Inc, as a legislative aide for the Assembly from 1976 to 1982, 1986 to 1996, and as a special assistant for the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Committee assignments

• Appropriations Committee, New Jersey General Assembly
• Higher Education Committee, New Jersey General Assembly
• Intergovernmental Relations Commission

Issues

Positions

Merkt's answers to the New Jersey State Legislative Election 2007 National Political Awareness Test are available. When asked his top priorities, he responded:

My first piority remains a fair share of State resources for Morris County. We pay Trenton more that $1 billion in income tax, yet get back under $160 million in school aid, shortchanging Morris schoolchildren and homeowners and driving up local property taxes.

My other priority is to restore State finances back to a sound footing through reduced state taxes, debt and spending. New Jersey is lurching toward bankruptcy, and we must change course now.

Sponsored legislation

• A149 Establishes limits on contributions county and municipal committees of a political party can give per election or per year to candidates and certain political committees.
• A152 Prohibits legislators from representing local government entities, or persons before local government entities.
• A162 Prohibits legislators from certain lobbying activities for two years after leaving office; provides additional civil penalties for violations.
• A648 Includes same sex marriages among marriages declared void; provides that New Jersey will not recognize marriages in other jurisdictions which are void in New Jersey.

Elections

2024

See also: New Hampshire State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for New Hampshire State Senate District 10

Incumbent Donovan Fenton defeated Richard Merkt in the general election for New Hampshire State Senate District 10 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donovan Fenton (D)	63.1	20,841
		Richard Merkt (R)	36.8	12,166
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	11

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 33,018
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 10

Incumbent Donovan Fenton advanced from the Democratic primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 10 on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donovan Fenton	99.7	7,015
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	22

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,037
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 10

Richard Merkt advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire State Senate District 10 on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Richard Merkt	98.4	3,007
		Other/Write-in votes	1.6	48

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,055
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Merkt in this election.

2022

See also: New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6 (2 seats)

Incumbent Michael Abbott and incumbent Cathryn A. Harvey defeated Richard Merkt and Tony Barton in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Abbott (D)	28.9	2,237
✔		Cathryn A. Harvey (D)	28.2	2,176
		Richard Merkt (R)	21.5	1,660
	Submit photo	Tony Barton (R)	21.4	1,656
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	1

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,730
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6 (2 seats)

Incumbent Cathryn A. Harvey and incumbent Michael Abbott advanced from the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6 on September 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cathryn A. Harvey	50.9	696
✔		Michael Abbott	49.0	671
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	1

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,368
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6 (2 seats)

Tony Barton and Richard Merkt advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6 on September 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Tony Barton	53.1	477
✔		Richard Merkt	46.2	415
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	7

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 899
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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2020

See also: New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1 (4 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Abbott (D)	14.8	4,074
✔		Lucy McVitty Weber (D)	14.7	4,048
✔		Cathryn A. Harvey (D)	14.3	3,944
✔		Paul Berch (D)	14.2	3,910
		Kate Day (R)	11.1	3,051
	Submit photo	Whitney Aldrich (R)	10.8	2,974
	Submit photo	Peter Benik (R)	10.2	2,822
		Richard Merkt (R)	10.1	2,785

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 27,608
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1 (4 seats)

Incumbent Lucy McVitty Weber, incumbent Michael Abbott, incumbent Cathryn A. Harvey, and incumbent Paul Berch advanced from the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1 on September 8, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lucy McVitty Weber	25.7	1,528
✔		Michael Abbott	25.1	1,491
✔		Cathryn A. Harvey	24.6	1,464
✔		Paul Berch	24.5	1,458
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	6

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,947
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1 (4 seats)

Whitney Aldrich, Kate Day, Richard Merkt, and Peter Benik advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1 on September 8, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Whitney Aldrich	26.3	746
✔		Kate Day	26.0	737
✔		Richard Merkt	24.0	681
✔	Submit photo	Peter Benik	23.5	666
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	10

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,840
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Richard Merkt did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Richard Merkt did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Richard Merkt completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Merkt's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Richard Merkt, candidate for the New Hampshire House of Representatives, lives in Westmoreland with his wife Suzanne. They have three daughters, three grandchildren, and one grand-dog.

Merkt brings to his candidacy more than 30 years' state experience, including service as a deputy attorney general and six terms as a state representative in a sister state. With committee assignments ranging from Transportation to Appropriations to Judiciary to Insurance, he already possesses the know-how to represent the people of Cheshire County effectively from Day One. Throughout his career, Merkt has served many charitable organizations as a director or trustee, specializing in those that provide care to elder members of the community. He is currently a director of Keene Rotary and a volunteer at the Cheshire Historical Society. Merkt's political philosophy is grounded in the Granite State's motto, "Live Free or Die." He supports liberty and personal responsibility and believes government closest to the people is best. He wants to ensure that government remains the servant of the people, not their master. He will bring this dedication to the New Hampshire House, listening to and advocating for his constituents in the Cheshire 1 district.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Lower taxes and smaller government
• A fair share of state resources for Cheshire County
• Keep New Hampshire, New Hampshire

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Liberty and personal responsibility

Ensuring that government is the servant of the people

Defending the Rule of Law

Listening to the people I serve

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson grasped that government should serve the people and not be their master.

Winston Churchill, whose determination and leadership saved his country from defeat at the hands of the Nazis in World War II.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity

Commitment to public service

Willingness to listen

Being truthful with the people one serves

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Significant prior legislative experience in a sister state, so I would "hit the ground running" as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. I have knowledge of how legislatures operate and how to identify and accomplish realistic legislative objectives. I already have a number of initiatives planned to support the policy goals on which I am running for the state House of Representatives.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Treat constituents' tax dollars as your own, meaning work for lower taxes, smaller government, and a budget that returns good value for every tax dollar spent.

Defend the principle of local government, because government closest to the people is best.

Ensure that our county receives a fair share of state assets, for the benefit of our people.

Resist efforts to copy other states that tax, spend, and borrow too much.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to keep New Hampshire as a place people choose to live because of its high quality of life, the traditional freedom of its people to pursue their lives as they see fit, the burden of its government kept small and local, and its paramount respect for the obligation of government to serve the people who elect it.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The election of John F. Kennedy as President. I was ten years old at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Trust administrator - three years

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Lord of the Rings (trilogy). Behind all the action are stories of loyalty, integrity, and courage that I found uplifting.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Public speaking was a struggle early in my career. I overcame the challenge by constant practice and preparation.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

New Hampshire's House of Representatives is large, with 400 members. Its role is to keep government close to the people of the towns served by representatives. The Senate is much smaller and should act as a check on the House's actions.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, it is beneficial to have previous experience, because such experience means that a legislator is prepared to be an effective representative upon taking office. Also, legislators should not remain in office for a long period of time, lest they forget their obligations to the people they serve.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

New Hampshire's greatest challenge is to preserve its own unique nature, despite an influx of people from other states. The Granite State is known for its fiscal conservatism, policies that allow small businesses to flourish here, and commitment to personal freedom. If New Hampshire follows the example of other nearby states, it risks becoming just another high-tax, low-growth New England state that ignores the best interests of its residents.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

The ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature is where both branches of government respect the people who elected them and never forget that their obligation is to serve the people, not rule them. If both branches adhere to this basic principle, then state government can function smoothly for the benefit of the public and without political discord.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

The House is a social institution; personal relationships matter, but personal character matters more than anything else. If legislators know that they can trust each other's word, then it is easier to get required activities completed, as well as work out reasonable accommodations in situations in which legislators disagree. But no legislator should forget the reason he or she is there: to represent the best interests of the home district.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Appropriations, Transportation, Judiciary. Also interested in Agricultural issues.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

Not applicable

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

As a freshman legislator, I would not seek a leadership role, but would rather focus on enacting legislative priorities for my district.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Daniel Webster.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

It is important to focus on one thing at a time, rather than looking too far ahead. Serving as a State Representative should be about serving the people of the district, not using the office as a spring board for future political campaigns.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Many people of various political stripes in Cheshire County have expressed frustration about our county being the "Forgotten Corner" of New Hampshire. By almost any measure, Cheshire lags behind the rest of the state, and I have heard many stories providing examples. My goal, if elected, is to make sure that Cheshire County has a strong voice in the State House, so we are no longer just a forgotten outpost.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Richard Merkt campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	New Hampshire State Senate District 10	Lost general	$0	$0
2022	New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 6	Lost general	$2,812	$0
2020	New Hampshire House of Representatives Cheshire 1	Lost general	$6,170	N/A**
Grand total			$8,982	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by NA	New Jersey Assembly District 25 1998-2010	Succeeded by Anthony Bucco, Jr. (R)

[show]

Current members of the New Hampshire State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Sharon Carson

Majority Leader:Regina Birdsell

Senators

District 1

David Rochefort (R)

District 2

Timothy Lang (R)

District 3

Mark McConkey (R)

District 4

David Watters (D)

District 5

Suzanne Prentiss (D)

District 6

James Gray (R)

District 7

Dan Innis (R)

District 8

Ruth Ward (R)

District 9

Denise Ricciardi (R)

District 10

Donovan Fenton (D)

District 11

Tim McGough (R)

District 12

Kevin Avard (R)

District 13

Lucinda Rosenwald (D)

District 14

Sharon Carson (R)

District 15

Tara Reardon (D)

District 16

Keith Murphy (R)

District 17

Howard Pearl (R)

District 18

Victoria Sullivan (R)

District 19

Regina Birdsell (R)

District 20

Patrick Long (D)

District 21

Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D)

District 22

Daryl Abbas (R)

District 23

William Gannon (R)

District 24

Debra Altschiller (D)

Republican Party (16)

Democratic Party (8)