New Hampshire House of Representatives candidate in the Dover area, who was under police investigation, drops out of the race

DOVER – Andrew Kennedy, one of four Democrats running in the primary for three seats representing Madbury, Lee and Dover Ward 4 in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, has decided to suspend his campaign.

Kennedy, a former state representative from Manchester under the name Andrew Bouldin, was the subject of news reports by the NH Journal, a right-leaning media outlet, about an investigation into him by Manchester police in 2023. Foster’s Daily Democrat and Seacoastonline obtained a police report. No charges were ever filed against Kennedy.

Kennedy denied any wrongdoing and said he had decided to permanently suspend his campaign to focus on his family.

“My wife and I have been living virtually at Mass General Hospital since July 25, focusing on a new premature baby in the NICU, and I don’t want to put him through this political gauntlet,” he said. Kennedy said he took his wife’s name when he remarried.

Although Kennedy has dropped out of the race, his name will still appear on the ballot in Dover Ward 4, Lee and Madbury, on Tuesday, September 10.

Three incumbent Democrats on the ballot

With Kennedy’s departure, the three candidates running unopposed in the Democratic primary for Strafford County’s 11th District are incumbent Representatives Erik Johnson, Thomas Southworth and Janet Wall. Johnson is seeking his second term in the House, Southworth his sixth and Wall her 20th.

Republicans Joe Bazo, Denis Grenier and Bill Taylor are unopposed in the primary election. The three Democrats are expected to win the election in the heavily Democratic district in November.

This article originally appeared in the Portsmouth Herald: New Hampshire House candidate in Dover area under investigation drops out of race