Susan Kane (New Hampshire)

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Susan Kane
Image of Susan Kane
Elections and appointments
Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Associate

The University of Maryland

Graduate

Southern New Hampshire University

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Personal
Birthplace
Newtown, Conn.
Religion
None
Profession
Business consultant
Contact

Susan Kane (Democratic Party) ran for election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives to represent Hillsborough 27. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Kane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Susan Kane was born in Newtown, Connecticut. She served in the U.S. Air Force. Kane earned an associate degree from the University of Maryland and a graduate degree from Southern New Hampshire University. Her career experience includes working as a business consultant.[1]

Elections

2024

See also: New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27

Mary Murphy defeated Susan Kane in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy (R)
 
59.4
 
1,336
Image of Susan Kane
Susan Kane (D) Candidate Connection
 
40.6
 
912

Total votes: 2,248
Candidate Connection = 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27

Susan Kane advanced from the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27 on September 10, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Susan Kane
Susan Kane Candidate Connection
 
99.2
 
384
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.8
 
3

Total votes: 387
Candidate Connection = 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 27

Mary Murphy advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27 on September 10, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
 
99.2
 
475
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.8
 
4

Total votes: 479
Candidate Connection = 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

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kane in this election.

2022

See also: New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27

Karen Reid defeated Susan Kane in the general election for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Karen Reid
Karen Reid (R)
 
55.5
 
1,032
Image of Susan Kane
Susan Kane (D)
 
44.4
 
827
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
2

Total votes: 1,861
Candidate Connection = 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 27

Susan Kane advanced from the Democratic primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27 on September 13, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Susan Kane
Susan Kane
 
99.2
 
261
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.8
 
2

Total votes: 263
Candidate Connection = 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 27

Karen Reid advanced from the Republican primary for New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27 on September 13, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Karen Reid
Karen Reid
 
98.7
 
456
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.3
 
6

Total votes: 462
Candidate Connection = 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

Candidate Connection

Susan Kane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kane's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I understand the struggles of working families. As a single mom, I raised two wonderful children while balancing work, family, and budgets. I chose to raise my children in the “Live Free or Die State” because of NH values —self-reliance, hard work, love of country, and freedom.

Now, I am running to restore those freedoms for our children and grandchildren and to give back to the state and country that helped me thrive.

I am an Elected member of the Francestown Planning Board, a Trustee of the George H. Bixby Library, and I am active in several committees, including the Community Power Initiative.
  • I am dedicated to defending and strengthening public education in New Hampshire because it is the foundation of our democracy and future. Despite historically low state funding, our schools persevere thanks to dedicated educators. However, Education Freedom Accounts divert taxpayer money to private and religious schools, threatening public education quality. The reliance on local property taxes places an unfair burden on homeowners, and cutting education spending is short-sighted. I advocate for reforming school funding to ensure fair, equitable state support and reduce the tax burden, investing in every child’s future.
  • Protecting reproductive rights, including access to safe and legal abortion, is essential for personal freedom, gender equality, and the right to make decisions about one’s body and future. These rights ensure individuals can plan their families, careers, and lives without government interference.
  • I champion fiscal responsibility and aim to reduce the financial burden on property owners and towns. I believe in building prosperity for New Hampshire through strategic investments, not just cutting budgets. We need a balanced approach that fosters growth while maintaining essential services for all.
For me, the most important public policy issue in New Hampshire right now is defending and expanding access to reproductive rights, especially abortion. This is critical with the growing restrictions we’re seeing across the country. The economy and the rising cost of living also remain key areas of focus for me, as they directly impact the quality of life for people in our state.
Additionally, I'm deeply concerned about addressing climate change and making healthcare more affordable, as these affect our community's well-being and future.
Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why . by Canyon Woodward and Chloe Maxmin
Elected officials must be accountable to their constituents. This sounds so simple, but in New Hampshire today, we see politicians accountable to their party leadership alone. This has resulted in policies that do not reflect the desires of most of their constituents. For instance, In New Hampshire, support for abortion rights is strong, with recent polls showing that around 71% of residents identify as pro-choice. This aligns with the general sentiment that access to safe and legal abortion should be protected. Additionally, a majority of voters in the state disapproved of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Despite this support, New Hampshire remains the only state in New England without proactive protections for abortion rights, which continues to be a focal point of legislative debates​.

Officials must also demonstrate empathy and a commitment to serving all members of the community. Recent actions by New Hampshire Republicans that have been seen as lacking empathy toward low-income residents include their opposition to expanding Medicaid and healthcare access. In 2022 and 2023, they opposed measures aimed at broadening access to affordable healthcare and rejected proposals to increase funding for essential services like public housing and education assistance, both of which disproportionately affect low-income families. Additionally, Republicans have pushed for cuts to social programs while advocating for tax breaks that primarily benefit wealthier residents, exacerbating income inequality​.

A strong leader also commits to being informed, being able to learn continuously, and always practicing active listening.
A state representative serving rural communities like Deering and Francestown has several core responsibilities, including advocating for access to quality healthcare, affordable housing, and robust public education, which are often more challenging in more rural areas like ours. Of course, communities like ours feel the continued state reliance on property taxes very sharpley. Stopping the cutting tax of revenue streams from the ultra wealthy and massive corporations at the expense of property owners and to the detriment of public education and services must be the biggest concern of all. Additionally, they must support local agriculture, small businesses, and environmental conservation efforts. Representing rural constituents also means addressing unique concerns around land use and ensuring equitable distribution of state resources.
"In business, I learned to lead by serving, to listen before acting, and to work toward common goals. I believe that if we truly listen to each other, we can bridge divides and work toward a brighter future."
The ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature in New Hampshire is one based on collaboration, mutual respect, and shared governance. Effective cooperation is crucial to passing legislation that benefits the state’s citizens. Without this cooperation, the state risks legislative gridlock, delayed policy implementation, and a lack of responsiveness to the needs of its residents.

Bipartisanship and Compromise: Since New Hampshire’s state legislature is often closely divided between parties, the governor and legislators must work across the aisle to find common ground on issues like the state budget, healthcare, and education.
Open Communication: The governor and legislative leaders should maintain open lines of communication, ensuring that priorities, concerns, and proposed policies are shared transparently. This open dialogue keeps everyone informed and involved in the decision-making process.
Respect for Separation of Powers: While the governor can influence legislation through vetoes, budget proposals, and public advocacy, there should be respect for the legislature’s role in lawmaking. Similarly, the legislature should respect the governor’s executive authority. A recent example of the New Hampshire governor, Chris Sununu, not respecting the state legislature occurred when he vetoed a bill designed to increase transparency in the state’s rulemaking process. The bill, supported by a Republican-led legislature, aimed to formalize the use of public comments in rulemaking, but Sununu's unexpected veto raised concerns about undermining legislative efforts to ensure more transparent governance. This action was seen as disregarding bipartisan legislative work to improve governance.

Shared Focus on State Priorities: The governor and legislature should not just align but actively pursue common goals on key state issues.
New Hampshire is facing a budget crisis exacerbated by tax cuts primarily benefiting wealthy residents and large corporations. Since 2015, the state has significantly reduced its business tax rates, including cuts to the Business Profits Tax (BPT) and Business Enterprise Tax (BET). While these tax cuts were promoted as ways to spur economic growth, studies show they have had minimal impact on job creation or economic expansion within the state. Instead, they have resulted in substantial revenue losses, estimated between $496 million and $729 million from 2016 to 2022. This shortfall in public revenue has strained the state's ability to fund essential services, including education and healthcare.
Furthermore, the recent phase-out of the Interest and Dividends Tax, which primarily benefits high-income residents, has also reduced state revenue. This reduction in state income worsens the strain on property owners and the reliance on property taxes to fund essential services such as public education. Without sufficient revenue, New Hampshire will likely face growing difficulties in addressing critical issues like the housing shortage and the funding of Medicaid, which will lead to further economic challenges laid at the feet of the middle class. And it will create further cuts to services, like public education and affordable housing programs that power our true path forward to economic growth.
I believe that having previous experience in public service if not politics directly, is valuable for state legislators for several key reasons:

Familiarity with Constituent Needs: Public service experience often involves direct engagement with the community, allowing legislators to develop a deeper understanding of the issues and challenges faced by their constituents. This helps them advocate more effectively on behalf of the people they represent.

Problem-Solving Skills: Public service roles typically require managing complex issues and balancing competing interests, skills that are transferable to legislative work. Experienced public servants are better equipped to address local problems and propose practical solutions.

Ethical Leadership and Accountability: Public servants are held to high ethical standards, which helps legislators develop a sense of accountability, transparency, and commitment to serving the public interest—qualities that are essential in political leadership.

Collaboration and Communication: Previous roles in public service often involve working with diverse groups, including government agencies, non-profits, and community organizations. This experience enhances legislators' ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and build consensus with colleagues and stakeholders.

Insight into Government Operations: Public servants gain firsthand knowledge of how government programs and services function. This insight is invaluable for legislators when overseeing government agencies, shaping policy, and allocating resources in ways that improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Crisis Management: Many public service roles involve responding to emergencies or crises. Legislators with this background are better prepared to handle state-level crises, such as natural disasters or public health emergencies.
Building relationships with other legislators is crucial for a state representative in New Hampshire to be effective. Collaboration enables bipartisanship and cooperation, essential in a closely divided legislature. Strong connections across party lines allow for constructive debate, compromise, and quicker legislative resolutions, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered.

These relationships enhance legislative effectiveness by helping secure co-sponsors, votes, and key committee assignments. They also provide access to expertise in various policy areas, enabling better-informed decisions and proposals. Experienced colleagues can offer guidance on navigating procedural hurdles and refining legislation.

Strong networks foster regional cooperation, allowing representatives to collaborate on shared challenges like infrastructure and economic development. Relationships with fellow legislators strengthen advocacy efforts, making it easier to rally support for district needs. Additionally, these relationships promote long-term success and stability, offering opportunities for leadership roles and continued influence within the legislature.

Strong relationships between legislators are foundational for passing legislation, advocating for constituents, and navigating the complexities of the New Hampshire State House.
Megan Murray is a highly effective Democratic state representative from Hillsborough County.

I admire the work she has done, and in particular:
Environmental Advocacy: Promoting recycling and sustainable practices.
Education: Protecting public school funding and improving food/nutrition programs.
Healthcare Reform: Advocating for affordable and accessible healthcare.

She also holds leadership roles, including chairing the Young Dems Legislative Caucus and serving as Deputy Ranking Member of the Environment & Agriculture Committee.​
Political meanness, outright aggression and rudeness have been taking a toll on my spirit as I have campaigned in certain areas that are very polarized. Recently, I spoke with a registered independent in a neighboring town who was afraid to vote in the primary because he would have to ask for either a democratic or republican ballot. This made him feel that his vote was no longer private and that he could be subjected to harassment based on his choice of a Democratic ballot. He votes in a town where they allowed massive flags that called the sitting president and any of his supporters vile names to be situated at the entrance to the polling place. We have to expect our leaders to get back to being kind even when disagreeing; we have to make it so that rude and harassing behavior is not the norm. We must have a functioning system that allows for both parties to function with professional exchanges, even when disagreeing. It can be difficult. When I have felt attacked I have sometimes found myself responding with more force than I would like. But it is so important that we are civil and we must be vigilant in correcting ourselves if we err.
Granting emergency powers to the New Hampshire governor without oversight can lead to efficiency in crisis response but risks overreach and reduced transparency. Legislative oversight ensures checks and balances, representing constituents’ needs, and preventing abuse. However, legislative involvement can slow responses during emergencies, especially in a part-time legislature. A balanced approach, where the governor has temporary powers with legislative approval for extensions, maintains both efficiency and accountability. This approach ensures swift action while preventing long-term misuse of executive power.
If elected, one of the first bills I would work on would be legislation to protect and expand access to abortion rights in New Hampshire, ensuring that we align with the protections offered in neighboring states like Vermont and Massachusetts. I believe that every person should have the fundamental right to make decisions about their own body and healthcare without government interference. My bill would safeguard access to safe and legal abortion, ensuring it remains available and accessible for all, regardless of income or geographic location. By codifying these rights into state law, we can ensure New Hampshire protects reproductive freedom and continues to uphold the values of privacy, dignity, and equality for all.
Based on my key issues of Public education, Reproductive Freedom, and Financial prosperity, the committees that interest me most are Ways and Means, which handles taxation and revenue matters;
Education, which deals with education policy and school funding, and Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs.
Financial transparency and government accountability are crucial for a state representative in New Hampshire because they ensure that taxpayer money is used effectively and responsibly. Transparency builds trust between elected officials and their constituents, helping to prevent corruption and misuse of public funds. Accountability ensures that representatives act in the best interest of their communities, delivering results and addressing concerns such as the equitable distribution of resources. The Education Freedom Account (EFA) voucher system in New Hampshire lacks financial transparency and government accountability. The program diverts public funds to private, religious, and home schools with very limited oversight on how the funds are spent. The lack of detailed financial reporting makes it impossible to ensure taxpayer money is being used effectively and equitably. Additionally, the program’s structure reduces public accountability, as private institutions and home schools are not subject to the same regulatory standards as public schools.
A state ballot initiative process can be both beneficial and problematic for New Hampshire. While it would give voters a direct say in important issues, there are real concerns about how it could be exploited by well-funded, far-right groups like the Free Staters, who have been pushing a radical agenda that doesn’t align with the majority of Granite Staters. Their goal of drastically reducing government and public services could lead to harmful policies being fast-tracked without the necessary debate and scrutiny that occurs in the legislature.

The risk is that these initiatives could be used to undermine public education, weaken environmental protections, and dismantle key social services that many New Hampshire residents rely on. While I support democratic engagement, we must ensure that the process is transparent and not hijacked by extremist groups. Our laws should serve the common good, not the narrow interests of a radical few.

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.

2022

Susan Kane did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.


Campaign finance summary


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.


Susan Kane campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27Lost general$1,854 $0
2022New Hampshire House of Representatives Hillsborough 27Lost general$5,419 $0
Grand total$7,273 $0
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal 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

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 4, 2024


Representatives
Belknap 1
Belknap 2
Belknap 3
Belknap 4
Belknap 7
Belknap 8
Carroll 1
Tom Buco (D)
Carroll 2
Carroll 3
Carroll 4
Carroll 5
Carroll 6
Carroll 7
Carroll 8
Cheshire 1
Cheshire 10
Cheshire 11
Cheshire 12
Cheshire 13
Cheshire 14
John Hunt (R)
Cheshire 15
Cheshire 16
Cheshire 17
Cheshire 18
Cheshire 2
Dru Fox (D)
Cheshire 3
Cheshire 4
Cheshire 5
Cheshire 6
Cheshire 7
Cheshire 8
Cheshire 9
Coos 1
Coos 2
Coos 3
Coos 4
Seth King (R)
Coos 5
Coos 6
Coos 7
Grafton 10
Grafton 11
Grafton 13
Grafton 14
Grafton 15
Grafton 16
Grafton 17
Grafton 18
Grafton 2
Grafton 3
Grafton 4
Grafton 6
Grafton 7
Grafton 8
Grafton 9
Hillsborough 1
Hillsborough 10
Bill Ohm (R)
Hillsborough 11
Hillsborough 14
Hillsborough 15
Hillsborough 16
Hillsborough 17
Hillsborough 18
Hillsborough 19
Matt Drew (R)
Hillsborough 20
Hillsborough 21
Hillsborough 22
Hillsborough 23
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Hillsborough 25
Hillsborough 26
Hillsborough 27
Hillsborough 28
Keith Erf (R)
Hillsborough 29
Hillsborough 3
Hillsborough 30
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Hillsborough 34
Hillsborough 35
Hillsborough 36
Hillsborough 37
Hillsborough 38
Hillsborough 39
Hillsborough 4
Hillsborough 40
Hillsborough 41
Lily Foss (D)
Hillsborough 42
Lisa Post (R)
Hillsborough 43
Hillsborough 44
Hillsborough 45
Hillsborough 5
Hillsborough 6
Hillsborough 7
Hillsborough 8
Hillsborough 9
Merrimack 1
Merrimack 10
Merrimack 11
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Merrimack 2
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Merrimack 26
Alvin See (R)
Merrimack 27
Merrimack 28
Merrimack 29
Merrimack 3
Merrimack 30
Merrimack 4
Merrimack 5
Merrimack 6
Merrimack 7
Merrimack 8
Merrimack 9
Rockingham 1
Rockingham 10
Rockingham 11
Rockingham 12
Zoe Manos (D)
Rockingham 14
Pam Brown (R)
Rockingham 15
Rockingham 18
Rockingham 19
Rockingham 2
Rockingham 20
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Rockingham 22
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Rockingham 24
Rockingham 26
Rockingham 27
Rockingham 28
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Rockingham 3
Mary Ford (R)
Rockingham 30
Rockingham 31
Terry Roy (R)
Rockingham 32
Rockingham 33
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Rockingham 4
Rockingham 40
Rockingham 5
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Strafford 1
Strafford 11
Strafford 13
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Strafford 15
Strafford 16
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Strafford 18
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Strafford 21
Luz Bay (D)
Strafford 3
Strafford 4
Strafford 5
Strafford 6
Strafford 7
Strafford 8
Strafford 9
Sullivan 1
Sullivan 2
Sullivan 3
Sullivan 4
Judy Aron (R)
Sullivan 5
Sullivan 6
Sullivan 7
Sullivan 8
Republican Party (219)
Democratic Party (177)
Independent (1)