Stephen Kenda
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Stephen Kenda (Republican Party) ran for election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives to represent Hillsborough 7. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Kenda completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kenda was born in New York, New York. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1979. Kenda's professional experience includes serving as CEO of HireAbility.com, LLC.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 7 (6 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 7 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Linda Gould (R) | 9.7 | 7,241 |
| ✔ |  | Niki Kelsey (R) | 9.5 | 7,079 |
| ✔ | John Graham (R) | 9.3 | 6,907 | |
| ✔ | Sue Mullen (D) | 9.3 | 6,896 | |
| ✔ | David Danielson (R) | 9.2 | 6,890 | |
| ✔ |  | Ted Gorski (R) | 9.1 | 6,747 |
 | Stephen Kenda (R)  | 8.5 | 6,370 | |
| Daniel Dong (D) | 7.7 | 5,717 | ||
 | Catherine Rombeau (D) | 7.4 | 5,488 | |
| Shana Potvin (D) | 7.0 | 5,207 | ||
| Emma Paradis (D) | 7.0 | 5,188 | ||
| Cheri Schmitt (D) | 6.4 | 4,771 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 15 | ||
| Total votes: 74,516 | |||
| = 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 Hillsborough 7 (6 seats)
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 7 on September 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sue Mullen | 20.9 | 2,262 | |
| ✔ | | Catherine Rombeau | 16.4 | 1,773 |
| ✔ | Daniel Dong | 16.3 | 1,767 | |
| ✔ | Shana Potvin | 15.7 | 1,700 | |
| ✔ | Emma Paradis | 15.5 | 1,680 | |
| ✔ | Cheri Schmitt | 15.2 | 1,646 | |
| Total votes: 10,828 | |||
| = 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 Hillsborough 7 (6 seats)
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 7 on September 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Linda Gould | 15.4 | 1,907 |
| ✔ | | Niki Kelsey | 15.0 | 1,852 |
| ✔ | David Danielson | 13.6 | 1,680 | |
| ✔ | | Stephen Kenda | 12.9 | 1,594 |
| ✔ | | Ted Gorski | 11.9 | 1,477 |
| ✔ | John Graham | 11.8 | 1,456 | |
| Britton Albiston | 10.8 | 1,342 | ||
| Phil Greazzo | 8.7 | 1,072 | ||
| Total votes: 12,380 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Kenda's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.
2016
Elections for the New Hampshire State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 10, 2016. Incumbent Nancy Stiles (R) did not seek re-election.
Dan Innis defeated Tom Sherman in the New Hampshire State Senate District 24 general election.[2][3]
| New Hampshire State Senate, District 24 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Dan Innis |
52.15% | 17,844 | |
| Democratic | Tom Sherman | 47.85% | 16,373 | |
| Total Votes | 34,217 | |||
| Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State | ||||
Tom Sherman ran unopposed in the New Hampshire State Senate District 24 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| New Hampshire State Senate, District 24 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Tom Sherman (unopposed) | |
Dan Innis defeated Stephen Kenda, Jim Maggiore, and Ray Tweedie in the New Hampshire State Senate District 24 Republican primary.[4][5]
| New Hampshire State Senate, District 24 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Dan Innis |
35.00% | 1,895 | |
| Republican | Stephen Kenda | 27.15% | 1,470 | |
| Republican | Jim Maggiore | 7.72% | 418 | |
| Republican | Ray Tweedie | 30.14% | 1,632 | |
| Total Votes | 5,415 | |||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Stephen Kenda completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kenda's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, S.B., major in Chemical Engineering from M.I.T., 1979, living in New Hampshire since 1980. Serial entrepreneur with several successful startups and currently CEO of HireAbility.com, an HR software firm based in Londonderry parsing resumes. I live in Bedford, NH with my wife Sarah, and son, Eddie. I enjoy the piano and poker, TaeKwonDo (more vicariously these days through my son) and swimming. Member Mensa. Strict Constitutionalist, enjoying civil discourse in world events, geopolitics as well as local. Still consider myself a struggling politician, never having mastered the delicate art of plausible prevarication.
- I'm honest. I'll tell you the truth, no matter how painful. You won't always like what I have to say, but it will be both genuine and heartfelt.
- I am a fiscal conservative. I share Jefferson's philosophy that 'that government is best which governs least'. Expect spending cuts and lower taxes from me.
- I am deeply concerned about the direction the Democratic Party has taken of late. I do not believe this nation can survive socialism.
Finance - cut spending and reduce taxation.
Energy - reduce electricity costs to encourage more manufacturing, creating jobs for our children.
Harry Truman, because the buck stops here. Teddy Roosevelt, for his enthusiasm and energy. Ronald Reagan for his communication skills.
Sun Tzu and Machiavelli for grappling with the physical plane.
I'd start with Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' and read Tucker Carlson's 'Ship of Fools' to round it out.
Honesty. Doing what you say you will do. Listening. Pushing back when necessary. Being receptive but not a doormat. Being willing to compromise when necessary, but not on principles. Being respectful, but not subservient. Remaining true to yourself.
I have spent a lifetime in my professional career building a reputation for honesty and integrity. If I gave someone my word, they could count on it. I have always tried to walk a mile in another's shoes to best understand their circumstances and to appreciate their thought process. When I disagree, I do it respectfully. I do not resort to ad hominem attacks and work to formulate fact-based ideas rather than letting emotions rule the day. I believe I am level-headed with a healthy EQ and IQ. My Myers-Briggs indicator is INTJ. I would like to help raise the level of political discourse in our state, as well as our country.
Putting in the work, the time necessary to live up to whatever commitments have been made. Treating constituents respectfully, but being able to say 'No' when it's appropriate. Helping people while always telling them the truth, no matter how painful.
I was six years old at home watching Superman with George Reeves when the show was interrupted to announce that President Kennedy had been shot.
I assisted my father in renovating a home during the summer of '69. I was paid ten cents an hour. I will never paint a closet or change an electric outlet again.
First real job - AT&T Management Development Program, White Plains, NY. One year in that position before promoted to Boston, MA as National Account Manager for the Data General Company, also one year.
First real job - AT&T Management Development Program, White Plains, NY. One year in that position before promoted to Boston, MA as National Account Manager for the Data General Company, also one year.
Oh, too many to mention, but a few:
Illusions - Richard Bach - fiction
Tales of Power - Carlos Castaneda - fiction
Dreamland - Sam Quinones - non-fiction
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan
Blind Faith - 'Can't Find My Way Home
The New Hampshire House, with 400 members, is the third largest representative body in the world behind the US Congress and British Parliament. While certainly creating some challenges, it does represent the best of actual constituent representation from a grassroots perspective and is one reason why New Hampshire is looked upon as politics the way it should be. On the other hand, the Senate is but 24 people, representing far more constituents over a larger number of towns. While both the House and Senate are all two-year terms, the Senate will spend more time with lobbyists, while House members will be more engaged with the people that elected them.
New Hampshire has the sixth highest electric rates in the country. Efforts to increase the net metering cap will only exacerbate the situation, and the three other New England states with higher net metering caps all have higher electric rates. The noble cause of reducing municipal electric burden via larger scale solar installations only results in shifting the burden to the individual rate payer, with little likelihood in lower property tax rates as a result of municipal savings. We struggle to bring manufacturing to our state for this reason, and thereby limit the career opportunities for our children. We have a plethora of small, professional firms; lawyers, doctors, dentists, accountants, consultants all of whom benefit from a low-tax environment. We can do better.
Post-Covid, we will have a significant fiscal challenge balancing tax receipts with expenditures. Over 150,000 wound up unemployed, with many businesses likely to never open their doors again. The psychological and financial damage has been far worse than the disease and it will be years before we can fully recover. It will take experienced business people with the backbone to say 'No' when it needs to be said. I don't expect to be terribly popular.
Post-Covid, we will have a significant fiscal challenge balancing tax receipts with expenditures. Over 150,000 wound up unemployed, with many businesses likely to never open their doors again. The psychological and financial damage has been far worse than the disease and it will be years before we can fully recover. It will take experienced business people with the backbone to say 'No' when it needs to be said. I don't expect to be terribly popular.
I believe I can be most effective in a finance or fiscal committee. I have a strong background and comfort level with numbers and budgets given my experience. As the leader in my various start ups, saying 'No' was a big part of the job. An experienced financial background should be a prerequisite for the position and I believe I can contribute greatly in that area.
I do have a good baseline understanding of energy and energy markets, their structure and implementation, from generation, to transmission and distribution.
I do have a good baseline understanding of energy and energy markets, their structure and implementation, from generation, to transmission and distribution.
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.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 24, 2020
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State, "General Election - November 8, 2016," accessed October 25, 2016
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State, "General Election Results - 2016," accessed December 23, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 New Hampshire Secretary of State, "State Primary - September 13, 2016," accessed June 22, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 New Hampshire Secretary of State, "2016 Primary election results," accessed November 21, 2016
Current members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
Representatives
Belknap 1
Tom Ploszaj (R)
Belknap 3
Belknap 4
Travis Toner (R)
Carroll 5
Jonathan Smith (R)
Carroll 7
Glenn Cordelli (R)
Cheshire 1
Dylan Germana (D)
Cheshire 11
Denis Murphy (R)
Cheshire 12
Dick Thackston (R)
Cheshire 13
Richard Ames (D)
Cheshire 14
John Hunt (R)
Cheshire 16
James Gruber (D)
Cheshire 17
Jennifer Rhodes (R)
Cheshire 2
Dru Fox (D)
Cheshire 3
Philip Jones (D)
Cheshire 4
Jodi Newell (D)
Cheshire 5
Lucy Weber (D)
Cheshire 7
Terri O'Rorke (D)
Cheshire 8
Lucius Parshall (D)
Cheshire 9
Coos 2
Arnold Davis (R)
Coos 3
Mike Ouellet (R)
Coos 4
Seth King (R)
Coos 5
Peter Morency (R)
Coos 6
Michael Murphy (R)
Coos 7
Lori Korzen (R)
Grafton 10
John Sellers (R)
Grafton 11
Lex Berezhny (R)
Grafton 13
Laurel Stavis (D)
Grafton 14
George Sykes (D)
Grafton 15
Thomas Cormen (D)
Grafton 16
David Fracht (D)
Grafton 17
Susan Almy (D)
Grafton 18
Donald McFarlane (R)
Grafton 2
Jared Sullivan (D)
Grafton 3
Jerry Stringham (D)
Grafton 4
Heather Baldwin (D)
Grafton 6
Linda Franz (R)
Grafton 7
Janet Lucas (D)
Grafton 9
Thomas Oppel (D)
Hillsborough 12
Bill Boyd (R)
Julie Miles (R)
Maureen Mooney (R)
Nancy Murphy (D)
Jeanine Notter (R)
Adam Presa (R)
Rosemarie Rung (D)
Wendy Thomas (D)
Hillsborough 13
Dillon Dumont (R)
Cathy Kenny (R)
Andrew Prout (R)
Jeremy Slottje (R)
Jordan Ulery (R)
Robert Wherry (R)
Hillsborough 2
Loren Foxx (D)
Ted Gorski (R)
Linda Gould (R)
Brian Labrie (R)
Kristin Noble (R)
John Schneller (R)
Hillsborough 24
Hillsborough 27
Mary Murphy (R)
Hillsborough 31
Molly Howard (D)
Hillsborough 37
Megan Murray (D)
Hillsborough 45
Jack Flanagan (R)
Merrimack 1
Ricky Devoid (R)
Merrimack 11
Matthew Pitaro (R)
Merrimack 14
Dan McGuire (R)
Merrimack 15
Tracy Bricchi (D)
Merrimack 16
Connie Lane (D)
Merrimack 17
Beth Richards (D)
Merrimack 18
Jim MacKay (D)
Merrimack 19
Mary Wallner (D)
Merrimack 2
Gregory Hill (R)
Merrimack 20
Eric Gallager (D)
Merrimack 21
Timothy Soucy (D)
Merrimack 22
James Roesener (D)
Merrimack 23
Merryl Gibbs (D)
Merrimack 24
Matthew Hicks (D)
Merrimack 25
James Thibault (R)
Merrimack 26
Alvin See (R)
Merrimack 28
Jim Snodgrass (D)
Merrimack 29
Kris Schultz (D)
Merrimack 30
Gary Woods (D)
Merrimack 6
Tom Schamberg (D)
Rockingham 13
Charles Foote (R)
Erica Layon (R)
David Love (R)
David Milz (R)
Jodi Nelson (R)
Stephen Pearson (R)
John Potucek (R)
Richard Tripp (R)
Rockingham 16
Tom Dolan (R)
Ron Dunn (R)
David Lundgren (R)
Wayne MacDonald (R)
Sherman Packard (R)
Kristine Perez (R)
Doug Thomas (R)
Rockingham 19
Susan Porcelli (R)
Rockingham 21
Rockingham 22
Kate Murray (D)
Rockingham 23
Jim Maggiore (D)
Rockingham 25
Lorie Ball (R)
Tanya Donnelly (R)
John Janigian (R)
Dennis Mannion (R)
Joe Sweeney (R)
John Sytek (R)
Rockingham 26
Buzz Scherr (D)
Rockingham 27
Gerry Ward (D)
Rockingham 28
Carrie Sorensen (D)
Rockingham 3
Mary Ford (R)
Rockingham 32
Rockingham 33
Alexis Simpson (D)
Rockingham 34
Mark Pearson (R)
Rockingham 35
Julius Soti (R)
Rockingham 36
J D Bernardy (R)
Rockingham 37
James Meuse (D)
Rockingham 38
Peggy Balboni (D)
Rockingham 39
Ned Raynolds (D)
Rockingham 40
Linda McGrath (R)
Rockingham 6
Eric Turer (D)
Rockingham 7
Laurence Miner (R)
Rockingham 8
Sayra DeVito (R)
Strafford 13
Peter Bixby (D)
Strafford 14
Peter Schmidt (D)
Strafford 15
Alice Wade (D)
Strafford 16
Gary Gilmore (D)
Strafford 17
Strafford 18
Strafford 20
Allan Howland (D)
Strafford 3
Susan DeRoy (R)
Strafford 5
Thomas Kaczynski (R)
Strafford 6
Strafford 7
Aidan Ankarberg (I)
Strafford 8
Strafford 9
Amy Malone (D)
Sullivan 1
Brian Sullivan (D)
Sullivan 2
William Palmer (D)
Sullivan 4
Judy Aron (R)
Sullivan 5
George Grant (R)
Sullivan 7
Margaret Drye (R)
Republican Party (219)
Democratic Party (177)
Independent (1)
