Currently holds the office of New Hampshire State Senate - District 4 until December 2, 2026.
Candidate for New Hampshire State Senate - District 4 in 2026 New Hampshire Primary Election.
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Get StartedAdvocacy for women's issues is a core commitment during Senator Watters' five terms in the Senate. The New Hampshire legislature should pass legislation to codify the reproductive rights under Roe. It should also ensure that medical professionals and others who assist women from other states who receive abortion services, including medication, shall not be subject to law enforcement actions by other states. Learn more
New Hampshire must be an opportunity state where all are welcome in our safe communities and have the freedom to live their lives. Senator Watters will always fight for women's reproductive rights. He strongly supports LGBTQ equality, having worked to pass marriage equality, and establish gender identity as a recognized and protected right, as well as bills to enable the LGBTQ community to have appropriate recognition on driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Welcoming communities means opportunity for our more recent arrivals, such as the vibrant Indonesian community in Somersworth and Dover. We also must provide needed services and access to driving privileges and education for asylum seekers, refugees, and with appropriate guidelines, undocumented residents. Learn more
Senator Watters is deeply committed to the work of recovery, based on his own experiences and the loss of family members to substance use disorders. As the Senate member of the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs, and in consultation with recovery organizations, state agencies, and healthcare providers and advocates across the state, he has worked to fund and expand treatment and recovery programs. Learn more
Senator Watters is known across the state as a “jobs senator” who works for economic development that supports New Hampshire communities and businesses. Senator Watters’ legislation has addressed immediate issues to promote the economy, but he is known for his work on long-term transformations of economic development, workforce training, and the clean energy economy. Opposed to any new broad-based taxes, Senator Watters knows we have strong state revenues to keep taxes low while spending on priorities that benefit New Hampshire. Learn more
Having taught at the University of New Hampshire for 39 years and having worked closely with our university and community college systems and our Career and Technical Education Centers, Senator Watters believes public education produces economic success while strengthening our democracy and civic life. We must provide adequate funding for public education, including home schooling. We need to keep our schools safe from gun violence, support red flag legislation, and close background check loopholes. Learn more
Guided by a comprehensive vision for a 21st century education, pre-school to university, Senator Watters has worked for the past decade on legislation to expand opportunities and to transform educational practices, structures, and administration. A commitment to the core value of public schooling is forged in partnership by taxpayers, families with schoolchildren, and educators. With innovation and commitment, costs can be contained and investments made. Learn more
New Hampshire should move quickly to give power to people to take charge of their energy costs. This can be done by lifting limits on net metering so residents, businesses, and municipalities can take advantage right now of lower-cost solar energy. The state can move much more quickly on building an electric vehicle charging network on state roads, and offer incentives for this installation for individuals, multifamily housing, businesses, and municipalities. Learn more
In his five terms, Senator Watters has become a leader in New Hampshire on the climate crisis, renewable energy, environmental protection, wildlife, and fisheries. Sea level rise, coastal storm inundation, and river flooding are the greatest challenges facing seacoast New Hampshire. Senator Watters took the initiative in establishing a broad-based commission to recommend policies for climate adaptation. Subsequent legislation enabled communities to respond, directed all state agencies to adopt sea-level rise projections in all transportation and other projects, and established mechanisms for communities to preserve economic and cultural resources. Learn more
The state should immediately increase the funding for energy efficiency for residential structures since this will reduce energy costs right away. Senator Watters has introduced and passed bills in each of these areas. We can also make the Public Utilities Commission require utilities to have longer term contracts to avoid price spikes and to phase in any increases. Longer term, we should move aggressively on cheap, renewable, offshore wind resources, as Senator Watter has advocated as the state’s leader on offshore wind development. We can increase funding for the Career and Technical Education system and increase apprentice programs and partnerships with union training programs. Learn more
New Hampshire should move quickly to give power to people to take charge of their energy costs. This can be done by lifting limits on net metering so people, businesses, and municipalities can take advantage right now of lower-cost solar energy. The state can move much more quickly on building an electric vehicle charging network on state roads, and offer incentives for this installation for individuals, multifamily housing, businesses, and municipalities. Learn more
Senator Watters is a leader in legislation to reduce the use of tobacco and other drugs, working closely with Dover Youth to Youth and other advocates to raise the age for tobacco use to 21, regulate vaping, and increase education on substance use disorders. Learn more
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