Bob Gienko '01 officially announced his candidacy for the New Hampshire state legislature at a small gathering at Everything But Anchovies on Saturday.
Gienko gave a strongly worded speech that focused on education, health care and the importance of strong leadership.
Only about 15 people attended the speech, mostly friends and those helping in Gienko's campaign. The speech came after a literature drop in Hanover, part of Gienko's commitment to visit every house in Hanover and Lyme.
"It's an uphill battle," Gienko, 21, said of his door-to-door campaign. "I've been well received. There have been a few questions about my age, but most people appreciate a candidate coming to them with well-researched views."
Gienko's campaign manager, Brian Stults '02, said Gienko's moderate Republican views would appeal to independents in this traditionally Democratic region. "Bradley and McCain both did very well in the presidential primaries here because they appealed to independents."
He also added, "no one campaigns for this level of office. Bob has the ideas, and that's what makes the difference." Gienko's speech called for change of the education funding system used in New Hampshire, which is based on property taxes. In his speech he said his "common sense plan" would "target aid to the towns that need it most ... and cut down on government wastefulness at the same time."
He also called for local control of schools and for a decrease in prescription drug prices, and pledged to work for more teachers in New Hampshire schools and to enact legislation to make HMOs accountable to citizens.
The campaign had raised $2,000 so far, much of which had been spent on signs, but the biggest problem, according to campaign worker Kathleen Reeder '03, is getting people to help campaign. "People at Dartmouth already have a lot of commitments," she said.
The speech was also attended by Nancy Merrill, Republican National Committee member, who worked with Gienko when he was Dartmouth co-chair for the McCain presidential campaign.
