New Hampshire is known for the independent streak of its people and for the flinty nature of its politics. The vote that State Rep. Marilinda Garcia took recently against authorizing a casino in the Granite State is now an issue in her bid for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
Last week a representative of Casino Free New Hampshire took the stump to praise Garcia for her vote after she was condemned by fellow representatives from the Salem area, where such a casino is likely to be located if gaming is ever authorized in the state. In a recent vote 80 percent of Salem’s residents supported a casino at the Rockingham racetrack.
Garcia is in a primary campaign for the Republican nomination against former state senator Gary Lambert, who has said that the vote not to authorize two casinos in the state will result in lost jobs. They will be on the ballot in the September 9 primary, with the winner challenging incumbent U.S. Representative Annie Kuster.
Opposing casinos is part of the state GOP party platform.
