Colin Van Ostern | |
---|---|
Member of the New Hampshire Executive Council from the 2nd district | |
In office January 3, 2013 –January 3, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Daniel St. Hilaire |
Succeeded by | Andru Volinsky |
Personal details | |
Born | Kevin Colin O'Loughlin February 14,1979 Carlsbad,California,US |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Kristyn McLeod [1] |
Children | 2 |
Education | George Washington University (BA) Dartmouth College (MBA) |
Website | Campaign website |
Colin Van Ostern (born Kevin Colin O'Loughlin on February 14,1979) is an American businessman and politician who served on the New Hampshire Executive Council from 2013 to 2017,where he represented the state's second district. He is a member of the Democratic Party, [2] and was the Democratic nominee for Governor of New Hampshire in 2016. [3] He was a candidate for a two-year term as New Hampshire Secretary of State in the New Hampshire General Court's 2018 election,which he lost to incumbent Bill Gardner. [4] He ran in the 2024 Democratic primary to succeed Annie Kuster in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district;he was defeated by Maggie Goodlander.
Van Ostern was born in Carlsbad,California on February 14,1979,to a family of Irish ancestry. [1] [5] He moved repeatedly as a young child,arriving in New Hampshire in 2001 in his early twenties. [6] He attended high school at Maggie Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in Richmond,Virginia,and college in Washington,D.C. at George Washington University,where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2000 in International Relations. He received an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover,New Hampshire in 2009. [7]
Van Ostern was born Kevin Colin O'Loughlin,but was always referred to by his middle name;during his childhood,he adopted the surname Van Ostern as a nod to his mother and stepfather's family. [1] He changed his surname to Van Ostern O'Loughlin,though he was primarily known simply as Colin Van Ostern,which he shortened his legal name to when he began running for office. [1]
Van Ostern formerly served as the president and chief operating officer of Alumni Ventures,a venture capital firm headquartered in Manchester,New Hampshire. [8]
Previously,Van Ostern worked as vice president of Workforce Solutions [9] at Southern New Hampshire University. He previously helped SNHU launch College for America,a nonprofit school focused on providing a college education to individuals within the work force interested in furthering their education. College for America works directly with students' employers to ensure that each student can gain their education while continuing their career,usually with little or no debt. Van Ostern joined the school shortly before its launch in 2013.[ citation needed ]
Previously,he was a business manager at Stonyfield,Inc.,where he managed various brands and business lines for the world's largest organic yogurt maker. [10]
In 2004,he founded a business-consulting firm called Washington Street Consulting. As the principal of his consulting firm,Van Ostern advised over 30 nonprofits and small businesses. He has also served as a senior advisor to various elected officials including U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster,and before moving to New Hampshire in 2001.
Van Ostern won a seat on the New Hampshire Executive Council in 2012,succeeding former Executive Councilor Daniel St. Hilaire. He was re-elected in 2014.
Van Ostern was the Democratic Party's nominee for Governor of New Hampshire in 2016,winning the primary election by a vote of 52 percent to Steve Marchand's 25% and Mark Connolly's 20 percent,and narrowly losing the general election by a vote of 47 percent to Chris Sununu's 49 percent.
Van Ostern was first elected to the Executive Council after campaigning on the importance of building passenger rail from Boston to central New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Capitol Corridor rail project was halted by the Executive Council in 2011,but continued in 2013 after Van Ostern was elected. A study focused on the production of the rail system and funded by the state of New Hampshire was completed in 2015,finding that rail from Boston to Manchester would result in a projected 5,600 new permanent jobs and 3,630 additional construction jobs. [11]
Van Ostern has been a strong advocate for providing accessible healthcare options for all New Hampshire citizens. In 2014,he voted with a majority 3-2 [12] on the Executive Council to enact the New Hampshire Health Protection Plan,which has since expanded Medicaid to over 40,000 [13] New Hampshire citizens.
Van Ostern publicly opposed Republican members of the Executive Council when they voted against funding family planning services at New Hampshire's Planned Parenthood health centers in both 2011 and 2015,and in 2015 he was awarded [14] the Champion of Choice award by NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire,the state's largest grassroots organization dedicated solely to reproductive rights.
In October 2014,1,700 workers at Fairpoint Communications in New Hampshire,Maine,and Vermont went on strike after the company froze pensions,implemented pay reductions for new employees,and limited health care benefits. [15] By late November,negotiations between the two sides had reached an impasse. On December 23, [16] Van Ostern asked state officials to delay a proposed $13 million contract for state phone and data service with Fairpoint,citing the poor consumer service levels in the wake of the strike. Members of the striking labor union,IBEW,used the contract delay to call on the company to return to negotiations. Negotiations between the company and striking workers resumed on January 4,2015 [17] and the contract was passed unanimously on the Executive Council later that month. The strike was resolved in early February,and was the nation's largest and longest in 2014. [18]
In 2018,Van Ostern was a candidate for New Hampshire Secretary of State. [19] The New Hampshire General Court selects the secretary of state,and Van Ostern's campaign against longtime incumbent Bill Gardner,a fellow Democrat who has supported some Republican election and voting proposals, [20] [21] was based in part on the Democratic Party gaining control of both the New Hampshire Senate and New Hampshire House of Representatives in the 2018 elections. [19] Gardner won the December 5 legislative election,209 votes to 205. [22]
On March 28,2024,Van Ostern announced that he would run for New Hampshire’s 2nd congressional district in the election that year to succeed retiring Representative Annie Kuster. [23] He was eventually defeated in the Democratic Primary by Maggie Goodlander with 63.8% of the vote to Van Ostern's 36.2%. [24]
Van Ostern and his wife,Kristyn,have two children. [1]
Bill Gardner is an American politician who was the New Hampshire Secretary of State from 1976 to 2022. In that role,he was in charge of the department that oversees all general elections,primary elections,voter registration and recounts within the state,including the New Hampshire primary. His tenure is the longest of any secretary of state in U.S. history. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Joseph D. "Joe" Kenney is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who has represented District 1 of the Executive Council of New Hampshire since 2021,previously representing the same district from 2014 to 2019. He previously served as a member of the New Hampshire Senate,representing the 3rd District from 2003 to 2009,and as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1995 until 2003.
Ann L. McLane Kuster is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party,she previously worked as a lobbyist.
The 2016 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held November 8,2016,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Hampshire,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primary election to select the candidates who appeared on the general election ballot took place on September 13,2016.
The 2014 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 4,2014,to elect the governor of New Hampshire,concurrently with the election to New Hampshire's Class II U.S. Senate seat,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire were held on Tuesday,November 4,2014,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of New Hampshire,one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including governor of New Hampshire and U.S. senator. This election marked the first time since 1992 that New Hampshire elected members of two parties into the House of Representatives,and is to date the only time since 2010 that Republicans won any congressional election in New Hampshire.
Christopher Thomas Sununu is an American politician and engineer who has served since 2017 as the 82nd governor of New Hampshire.
Charles W. Morse is an American politician who served as president of the New Hampshire Senate and was acting governor of New Hampshire in 2017. Morse represented New Hampshire's 22nd State Senate district from 2010 to 2022,having previously held the same office from 2002 to 2006.
The 2016 New Hampshire gubernatorial election took place on November 8,2016,to elect the governor of New Hampshire,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire were held on November 8,2016,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of New Hampshire,one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on September 13.
The 2018 New Hampshire gubernatorial election took place on November 6,2018,to elect the governor of New Hampshire. Incumbent Republican Governor Chris Sununu won re-election to a second term,defeating former state senator Molly Kelly. Sununu was the first incumbent Republican to win reelection as governor since Steve Merrill was reelected in 1994.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire were held on November 6,2018,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of New Hampshire,one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire were held on November 3,2020,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of New Hampshire,one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
New Hampshire state elections in 2016 were held on Tuesday,November 8,2016. Voters elected 4 electors in the electoral college for President of the United States,one Senator in the United States Senate,2 members to the United States House of Representatives,the Governor of New Hampshire,all five members to the Executive Council,all 24 members to the New Hampshire Senate,and all 400 members to the New Hampshire House of Representatives,among other local elected offices. The Democratic and Republican presidential primary were held on February 9,2016,and the primary elections for all others offices were held on September 13,2016.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire were held on November 8,2022,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of New Hampshire,one from each of the state's two congressional districts.
The 2022 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 8,2022,to elect the governor of New Hampshire. Incumbent Republican governor Chris Sununu won re-election to a fourth term,defeating Democratic nominee Tom Sherman.
The 2024 New Hampshire gubernatorial election will be held on November 5,2024,to elect the governor of New Hampshire,concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives,and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Chris Sununu was eligible to seek re-election to a fifth term,but has announced that he will not do so,leaving the election an open race.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire will be held on November 5,2024,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of New Hampshire,one from each of the state's two congressional districts. Primary elections took place on September 10,2024.
Margaret Vivian Goodlander is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States deputy assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division from 2022 to 2024. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district in the 2024 elections.
Lily Tang Williams is an American politician and activist originally from China. A member of the Republican Party,Tang Williams is the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district in the 2024 elections,having also unsuccessfully run for that district in 2022. She also chaired the Colorado Libertarian Party from 2015 to 2016 and was the Libertarian nominee for the United States Senate in Colorado in 2016.