We Don’t Need Illinois Values in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a special place. We balance our budget without income taxes. We fight for public safety, protect parental rights, and put government in its place — which is to say, not in every corner of your life.

So you can imagine my reaction when I heard that New Hampshire Democrats are bringing in Governor J.B. Pritzker from Illinois to headline their big event.

Let’s be clear about what this is: it’s a signal. Granite Staters should take note — this isn’t just a fundraiser, it’s a message. Democrats in New Hampshire are no longer pretending to be practical, moderate, or uniquely "New Hampshire." They're importing the failed ideas of big-government states like Illinois and trying to make them our future.

We should take this seriously.

Illinois, under Governor Pritzker, is the poster child for everything Granite Staters have always rejected. Sky-high taxes. Out-of-control crime. Corrupt political machines. Massive budget deficits, year after year. And a population that’s been voting with its feet — because people are fleeing Illinois in droves.

Let’s look at the facts.

Illinois has one of the highest total tax burdens in the nation. New Hampshire is near the lowest.

Illinois has had to bail out its bloated public pension system with federal COVID funds, while New Hampshire used our one-time funds to invest into one-time public safety, education, and infrastructure projects.

Illinois’ largest city, Chicago, is dealing with a crime crisis so severe that major businesses — including McDonald’s headquarters — have warned they may leave due to safety concerns. Meanwhile, New Hampshire remains one of the safest states in the country, thanks to our commitment to law enforcement. Our recent changes made to our bail laws will only further cement New Hampshire as the safest state in the nation.

This isn’t a coincidence — it’s a result of policy. And it’s why the values of Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Democrat machine don’t belong anywhere near the Granite State.

Unfortunately, this is exactly the direction the New Hampshire Democrat Party wants to take us. Bigger government. Higher taxes. More control from Concord, and less power in your hands. That’s what they mean when they talk about “transforming” New Hampshire — they want to turn us into Illinois.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer.

While New Hampshire Republicans are cutting taxes, expanding educational freedom, standing with law enforcement, and defending the New Hampshire Advantage — Democrats are inviting the architect of a failed, top-heavy, big-government state to chart their course.

You don’t bring in J.B. Pritzker to celebrate New Hampshire values. You don’t fly him in to talk about fiscal restraint. You bring him in if your goal is to centralize power, grow government, and saddle taxpayers with the bill.

That’s not what Granite Staters want. That’s not what swing voters want. And it’s certainly not what the next generation deserves.

This isn’t just a political disagreement — it’s a fundamental difference in vision. New Hampshire’s future depends on sticking to what makes us different.

We believe that lower taxes create stronger communities. We believe public safety is non-negotiable. We believe parents — not bureaucrats — should be in charge of their kids’ education. We believe in individual responsibility and personal freedom.

And yes, we believe in keeping out-of-state politicians like Governor Pritzker out of our business.

So let me be blunt: we don’t need a Chicago-style governor bringing Illinois-style politics to New Hampshire.

We need to protect what makes New Hampshire work — not import the dysfunction from a failed blue state.

To my fellow Republicans: we must stay focused, united, and committed to protecting the New Hampshire Advantage. We need to win in every election large and small and stop the leftward lurch before it starts. That begins with exposing exactly what Democrats are trying to do.

To independent voters: look past the headlines and see what’s really happening. When New Hampshire Democrats bring in someone like J.B. Pritzker, it tells you everything you need to know about their priorities — and how little they respect yours.

We can either keep New Hampshire the low-tax, safe, free, small government state we all love — or we can sit back while the Left tries to turn us into Illinois.

I know where I stand. And I hope you’ll stand with us. Rep. Joe Sweeney (R-Salem) is the House Deputy Majority Leader