Anyone who's driven past my house over the last month or so by now has noted that I am supporting Ovide Lamontagne for U.S. Senate in Tuesday's Republican Primary.

I have good reason to support him.  But those reasons are not what some might expect.

Ronald Reagan once said, "Trust, but verify."  Reagan used this phrase more than once when discussing relations with the then-Soviet Union.

But trust is not always easy to verify, especially when it comes to campaign promises.  Trust, as Reagan knew, has to be earned. When it comes to Ovide Lamontagne, I've had the unique opportunity to verify the trust I have in him.

Ovide is my first cousin.  This gives me a very unique perspective on him.  As such, I know what kind of man he truly is better than most. 

Ovide and I grew up together, playing sandlot football, baseball, basketball and hockey together.  We attended all the family gatherings, holidays, and picnics together, and shared a common upbringing.  We camped out in each other's back yards during the summer, attended the same grammar school together, worked our grandfather's farm together, snowmobiled together and cried in our beers together when the Patriots lost the 2008 Super Bowl.  You get the picture.

To learn more about Ovide, visit www.Ovide2010.com

But the fact that Ovide is my cousin has nothing to do with my support of his candidacy.  And Ovide knows that.

I support him because he is the very best candidate to represent not only my best interests, but those of New Hampshire as well as those of the entire country.  Ovide is, and has always been, a man of true convictions, unwavering in his beliefs and tireless in his pursuit of what he believes is right and just.  I can trust him 100% of the time to make every effort to do what is right for our state and country.  

Believe me, so can you.

Ovide is also a dedicated father and husband, a man of the community, and a political, social and fiscal conservative.  And he’s the only candidate I can absolutely trust to do exactly what he has promises to do in his 15-point pledge to New Hampshire voters, aptly titled "Ovide's Oath". 

When I ran for a seat on the Goffstown Budget Committee last year, I didn't do it because of some burning desire to spend countless hours, without pay, trying to wade through thousands of budget lines.  I ran because I was fed up with what was going on in Goffstown, and I thought I could make a real difference if elected.

Ovide is doing the same thing.  He is running for U.S. Senate because he is fed up - even angry - at what's happening to our country under the watch of Barack Obama and the liberal, free-spending democrats.

In 2008, too many Americans bought into Obama's rhetoric and ultimately voted for 'hope and change'. But now, after less than two years, they are just hoping for change.  That change can only come by electing fiscally, morally and politically conservative candidates like Ovide Lamontagne.

I can think of few, if any, people I've ever met in my life with more honesty, integrity and character than Ovide.  His 15-point pledge gives me 15 excellent reasons to vote for him.  But frankly, I didn't need those fifteen reasons, because I already had the best one of all: I know the true man that Ovide Lamontagne is and what his beliefs and convictions are.  That alone is enough for me.

There are some who believe that if Ovide wins the Republican nomination on Tuesday, he would be unable to defeat Democrat Paul Hodes in November because he is under funded.  Don't buy into that hogwash.  If Ovide does win the primary on Tuesday, he'd then be headed to the November general election with the full backing, both fiscal and otherwise, of what will then be a Republican Party united behind a single candidate.  Everyone who may have voted for Ayotte, Bender or Binnie on Tuesday will never vote for Hodes in November - they will support Ovide.  This means Ovide's campaign coffers will swell, tea-partiers will certainly support him over Hodes, and many independents will swing in favor of Ovide over Hodes.  Even a few conservative Democrats will vote for Ovide instead of free-spending Mr. Hodes (you know who you are!).

But none of this can happen unless you get out and vote!  This past February, we here in Goffstown were all reminded at the town deliberative session how a single vote CAN make a difference (and, by the way, you'll be seeing that one-vote difference in your December tax bills).

This coming Tuesday, let's make a difference again.  Don't concern yourselves about November.  In my opinion, Hodes will be defeated no matter who wins the Republican nomination on Tuesday.  

So for your own sake, and our country's as well, I strongly urge everyone to put the same trust in Ovide that I have and vote for him for United States Senate.

RELATED UNION LEADER EDITORIALS:

 • It's Ovide: There is no better choice
 • Union Leader endorses Ovide Lamontagne

RELATED VIDEO:

Click here to read "Ovide's Oath"

Guy Caron can be reached via e-mail at: GuyC@GoffstownResidentsAssociation.com

Past Columns by Guy Caron  >>>