MANCHESTER, N.H. – Mayor Joyce Craig will serve another two years as the leader of New Hampshire’s largest city, defeating challenger Victoria Sullivan by just over 2,500 votes.
In her victory speech at the Puritan Conference Center, Craig focused on the power of collaboration: how it helped propel her to victory and how she hopes additional collaboration in the future will help Manchester move forward.
“Manchester has incredible potential, and to make the most of it, we need to build on our strengths to address our challenges,” she said to the assembled crowd of supporters. “Tonight, we celebrate and tomorrow we start the hard work all over again.”
In the speech, she also mentioned a six percent decrease in crime, a 16 percent decrease in opioid deaths and other progress in regard to Manchester’s schools, and other improvements to the city like the recent opening of the Rex Theatre.
Craig thanked her family, staff and supporters as well as the local and state Democratic Parties, acknowledging that the victory did not come easily.
“We worked hard. It’s been months and months of knocking on doors and making phone calls and talking to voters to directly address their concerns,” she said. “I think all of our hard work paid off tonight.”
She also thanked Sullivan for her gracious concession call and congratulated her on a hard-fought campaign.
Although Manchester’s municipal elections have a partisan nature not found as distinctly in most other New Hampshire towns and cities, Craig says she has worked hard for Manchester residents regardless of party affiliation and hopes to work with the city’s elected officials of all political persuasions to help make the city a better place.
“I hope to continue to working with all the members of the city’s boards,” she said. When we get a call to our office about a street lamp out or a pothole, we don’t know what party anybody is from.”
