Campaign Update: Contested Primaries Are Not the Problem - September 09, 2026
Contested primaries are a critical part of accountability. Voters should always have a real choice - without it, any election means little.
When I went to Concord four years ago as a brand new representative, I learned pretty fast that some people think a legislative seat is the personal property of the incumbent, and any upstart who dares to challenge them is breaking some unwritten rule.
The opposite is true - my seat as a representative belongs to the Windham voters, who chose to trust me twice before. I worked hard to honor your trust, and I am looking to keep serving you for two more years.
But when the primary filing period opens, the seat is open to anyone in Windham who is willing to step up and make a compelling case for two years of service. This is how the system works - no one owns a seat, and no one should expect others to stay out of the running just to make things easier.
Four years ago, I registered to run in the last hours of the filing period. I did not ask the Town Clerk staff how many people were running in District 17, or who they were - it would not have changed my decision.
The same is true for anyone who wants to serve - if you’re willing to do the work, run. I won’t feel personally attacked, nor should anyone else.
It’s New Hampshire - every seat belongs to the people, and only Windham voters get to decide who should represent them in September and November.
Contested primaries are not a problem - they are how the people stay in charge.
And yes, to continue being accountable to you as your state representative, I need your support this Tuesday.
Every letter to the editor I wrote as a state representative or candidate since 2022 can be found at dpm4nh.com under the Blog section. Please reach out to me at (603) 267-4142 (call or text) or at dpmwindham@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
Daniel Popovici-Muller
Windham State Representative,
Vice Chairman, Finance II Committee
Member, Education Funding Committee