As part of The Dartmouth’s coverage of the upcoming 2026 midterm and gubernatorial elections, the paper is publishing an interview series, “A Sit-Down with The Dartmouth,” featuring in-depth conversations with candidates for state-wide and New Hampshire district positions.
In this installment, The Dartmouth spoke with U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., the incumbent representative for the 2nd Congressional District. Goodlander — a former Navy intelligence officer and Justice Department attorney who now serves on the House Armed Services Committee — is seeking re-election after being elected to her first term in 2024.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Goodlander discussed her plans to improve childcare affordability in New Hampshire, her support for congressional term limits and her voting record in the House of Representatives.
Why should voters send you back to Washington, and what did last cycle’s relatively close margin of 5.9% between you and Republican candidate Lily Tang Williams tell you about the district?
MG: In New Hampshire, we do democracy better than anyone. You have to work for every single vote, and that’s what I did the first time I ran and what I’m doing again now. I take absolutely nothing for granted.
Across our state, people are feeling a huge amount of pain right now as a direct result of an affordability crisis. My North Star has been tackling the core cost-of-living challenges that I hear about everywhere I go: housing, health care, childcare and energy costs.
My other North Star is accountability in government. Over the last year, we’ve seen the president impose tariffs that effectively taxed American families and small businesses. I’ve worked at every stage of litigation challenging those actions because people in New Hampshire deserve accountability.
You recently described the U.S. intervention in Iran as a “war of choice” and raised concerns about the lack of congressional authorization. What led you to that conclusion, and what role should Congress play now that military operations are underway?
MG: Our constitution gives Congress the responsibility to declare war because we don’t want one commander-in-chief making the most consequential decisions alone. I know from serving in the Navy and now on the Armed Services Committee that the costs of war are borne by the American people — in lives and taxpayer dollars.
The president launched this war without explaining the imminent threat to our homeland or why diplomacy was abandoned. The president still has not answered the basic question of what the objective of the war is. Congress must demand answers and exercise its constitutional oversight responsibilities so we don’t slide into another forever war.
In January, you voted against a Department of Homeland Security funding bill, citing concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement oversight and accountability. Walk us through that decision.
MG: The Department of Homeland Security includes many mission-critical components, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration. Those absolutely should be funded. But what we’ve seen with ICE is a blank check that has produced an enforcement system lacking basic guardrails. Now there are many ICE agents operating without standardized uniforms, sometimes wearing masks and without identification. We’ve seen deadly incidents and detention practices that lack proper oversight. That undermines public trust.
What we need are common-sense guardrails and clear use-of-force policies, standardized uniforms, identification badges, judicial warrants and stronger protections for people in federal custody. Public safety depends on public trust.
Housing affordability is seen as a major issue in New Hampshire. What federal actions would most directly increase supply or lower costs in a state where zoning authority is largely local?
MG: We need to increase supply and crack down on corporate abuses that drive up costs.
The Housing for the 21st Century Act, which recently passed the House, is one of the most significant housing bills in years. It streamlines permitting and helps communities build at scale, but developers are facing major headwinds. Tariffs have significantly increased construction costs and made building homes more expensive. Housing affordability sits at the root of many challenges in New Hampshire. It affects whether hospitals can hire nurses and whether communities can recruit firefighters and teachers. We need a national effort to build the homes our future requires.
You have also emphasized childcare affordability as both a workforce and economic issue. What federal policies could help families most?
MG: Childcare is a crisis in New Hampshire. Many families are paying $30,000 a year or more. That’s completely unsustainable and forces many parents, often women, to leave careers they love.
We need to expand supply and bring more providers into the system. One model worth studying is the Department of Defense, which operates the largest employer-sponsored childcare system in the world. There’s a lot we can learn from that approach while also incentivizing private employers to provide childcare support. Right now the burden is falling almost entirely on families, and that’s crushing them.
New Hampshire voters often value independence. Is there an issue where you have broken with your party or would be willing to do so?
MG: I strongly support a twelve year term limit for members of Congress. That’s not a popular view in my party, but I believe it’s essential for accountability. Public service should be a tour of duty, not a permanent career.
Is there a policy area where you believe Democrats are moving too slowly?
MG: Congress should have banned stock trading by members decades ago. Allowing lawmakers to trade stocks while writing legislation that affects those industries undermines public trust. I also believe corporate political action committee money should be banned. I think eliminating corporate PAC contributions would make Congress more accountable.
Finally, what should voters know about you that is not obvious from your résumé?
MG: I’m a middle child, which turns out to be good training for serving in one of the most narrowly divided Houses of Representatives in a generation. I came to Congress to build common ground wherever possible so that I could deliver results for New Hampshire, while also standing firm when fundamental freedoms are at stake. What I want my work to be remembered for is helping build a prosperous, safe and free New Hampshire — tackling affordability, supporting communities and defending the Constitution.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
