Molly Kelly
Member of the New Hampshire Senate
from the 10th district
In office
December 6, 2006 – December 7, 2016
Preceded byThomas R. Eaton
Succeeded byJay Kahn
Personal details
BornSeptember 15, 1949
Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseArthur Luptowski
EducationKeene State College (BA)
University of New Hampshire School of Law (JD)

Molly Kelly is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the New Hampshire Senate, representing the 10th District from 2006 until 2016. She was the Democratic nominee for Governor of New Hampshire in the 2018 election.

Early life and education

Kelly was raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana as one of 11 children.[1][2] She later moved to Massachusetts, married and had three children, and then moved to Keene, New Hampshire, where she raised her children as a single mother and became a Keene State College student.[1][2] While a student, she became the manager of the apartment complex where she resided with her children.[1]

Kelly completed her bachelor's degree from Keene State College and a J.D. degree from the Franklin Pierce Law Center.[1]

State senate

Kelly was first elected to represent District 10 in the New Hampshire Senate in 2006 and was re-elected for five terms until she decided to not seek reelection in 2016.[1] During her tenure, she was the chair of Governor's Advanced Manufacturing Education Advisory Council for eight years, served on the Education, Public & Municipal Affairs and Capital Budget committees, and was the vice chair of the Health and Human Services Committee.[1] She also served on the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment.[3]

Her district comprised Alstead, Chesterfield, Gilsum, Harrisville, Hinsdale, Keene, Marlborough, Nelson, Roxbury, Sullivan, Surry, Swanzey, Walpole, Westmoreland, and Winchester in Cheshire County.[4]

Campaign for Governor

Kelly ran for Governor of New Hampshire in the 2018 election.[5] She won the Democratic nomination after defeating Steve Marchand in the primary,[6][7] 66 percent to 34 percent,[8] and then lost the general election to incumbent Republican Chris Sununu, 53 percent to 46 percent.[9] Her campaign included a focus on education, health care, access to safe and legal abortion,[10] renewable energy,[11] protection of vulnerable children,[12] and opposition to a sales and income tax.[13][14]

Kelly was endorsed by Planned Parenthood,[15] NEA-New Hampshire,[16] AFT-New Hampshire, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen,[17] U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan,[18] Congresswoman Annie Kuster,[19] EMILY’s List,[20] and gun violence prevention activist Deb Howard.[21]

Kelly was also endorsed[22] by the Keene Sentinel editorial board, the most progressive editorial board in New Hampshire, citing "Kelly’s experience in how to get things done in Concord" and her "record of achievement." "Her record shows her to be a planner and to have the ability to gather support and follow through."

Professional career

In addition to her career in the New Hampshire Senate, Kelly started and ran a small business as a retirement financial advisor, served as the director of Hospice of the Monadnock Region[1] and was the director of the Franklin Pierce University Continuing Education program at its Keene campus.[23]

She has also facilitated forums for the Center for Civic Engagement addressing challenges facing the community.[14]

Kelly has served on the following boards and commissions: Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities, Advisory Council; Southwest Community Services; Business and Education Coalition; New Hampshire Scholars (Chair 2014 -2016); New England Secondary School Consortium; Social Justice Foundation; Keene State College Civic Leadership Initiative; Education Commission of the States; NH Commission on the Status of Woman (Chair); Healthy New Hampshire Foundation (Treasurer); Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce; Keene Downtown Revitalization Corporation; International Rotary; and the Home Care Association of New Hampshire.

Personal life

Kelly is married to Art Luptowski and they moved to Harrisville, New Hampshire in 2016.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Miller, Paul (May 10, 2016). "Molly Kelly says she will not seek a sixth term in NH Senate". The Keene Sentinel. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 Ramer, Holly (September 11, 2018). "Molly Kelly wins Democratic nomination for New Hampshire governor race". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  3. ↑ Nilsen, Ella (September 14, 2018). "The unprecedented number of women running for governor in 2018". Vox. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Senate District 10, Senator Molly Kelly". New Hampshire State Senate Homepage. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Summerson, Mia (July 5, 2020). "Molly Kelly endorses Feltes for governor". The Keene Sentinel. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  6. ↑ Gambino, Lauren (September 12, 2018). "New Hampshire win makes Molly Kelly 15th woman nominated by major US party". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "The Latest: Negron Wins 2nd District Republican Nomination". U.S. News & World Report. September 12, 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Schneider, Elena; Bland, Scott (September 11, 2018). "Democrats nominate Kelly to face New Hampshire Gov. Sununu". Politico. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  9. ↑ Korecki, Natasha; Strauss, Daniel (January 12, 2019). "'You couldn't spend a dime?': Jay Inslee ticks off the wrong state". Politico. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  10. ↑ https://www.concordmonitor.com/NH-needs-governor-who-will-be-a-champion-for-women-18933088
  11. ↑ http://www.nhpr.org/post/kelly-reiterates-support-net-metering-expansion-hanover-campaign-stop#stream/0 renewable energy
  12. ↑ http://www.unionleader.com/article/20180831/OPINION0204/180839911
  13. ↑ "Issues". Molly Kelly. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  14. 1 2 "About". Molly Kelly. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  15. ↑ "Molly Kelly for NH Governor". www.plannedparenthoodaction.org. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
  16. ↑ "NEA-NH Announces Recommendation of Molly Kelly for Governor". NEA-NH. 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
  17. ↑ Shaheen endorses Molly Kelly for governor, 3 May 2018, retrieved 2018-05-05
  18. ↑ DiStaso, John (2018-06-04). "Hassan endorses fellow Democrat Kelly for governor, calls her 'progressive leader'". WMUR. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
  19. ↑ DiStaso, John (2018-04-20). "US Rep. Kuster weighs in on Democratic primary for governor, backs Molly Kelly". WMUR. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  20. ↑ "EMILY's List Endorses Molly Kelly for Governor of New Hampshire". www.emilyslist.org. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  21. ↑ DiStaso, John (2018-04-19). "NH Primary Source: Kelly, Marchand cited for 'distinction' by Moms Demand Action". WMUR. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  22. ↑ Rose, Sarah F. (2017-09-21). "Her Mother Did Not Like to Have Her Learn to Work". No Right to be Idle. University of North Carolina Press. doi:10.5149/northcarolina/9781469624891.003.0002. ISBN 9781469624891.
  23. ↑ "Molly Kelly -". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
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