Ryan Nugent
Overview
Colonel, US Air Force Reserve (Military Liaison to State of NH)
BS Aviation Flight Operations, Daniel Webster College; Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, US Naval War College
PO Box 10105
Bedford, NH
United States
History
Position on Issues
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support the “Education Freedom Account” program, which gives students access to the per-pupil share of state school funding to spend on private school or home school expenses?
"I oppose the Education Freedom Account program as it exists today. I support helping low- and moderate-income families, especially those with children who have special education needs, when the state hasn't given their public school the resources it needs to serve every child. That's what this program was originally meant to do. But removing the income limit turned it into a subsidy for wealthier families who were already paying private school tuition, and it drains money from the same Education Trust Fund that pays for our public schools, which the NH Supreme Court has ruled are already underfunded. There's also too little oversight: New Hampshire tax dollars have even gone to private schools in other states. I'd restore an income limit, prioritize students with special needs, keep the money in New Hampshire, and fully fund our public schools first."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire’s anti-discrimination law allow segregation based on biological sex in some settings, such as bathrooms and locker rooms?
"I oppose this change. Two Republican governors, Chris Sununu and Kelly Ayotte, have now vetoed versions of this bill five times. I actually agree with Governor Sununu's past statement that it seeks to solve problems that have not presented themselves in New Hampshire. This is a divisive national agenda being imported into our state, and every hour Concord spends on it is an hour not spent lowering property taxes, making housing affordable, or funding our schools. New Hampshire's Live Free or Die tradition means treating our neighbors with dignity and keeping government out of people's private lives."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
"Decisions about pregnancy belong to a woman, her family, and her doctor, not to politicians. Real life is complicated. Women face rape, incest, serious threats to their health, and devastating diagnoses late in pregnancy. These are tragic, deeply personal decisions, and they shouldn't be made harder by lawmakers imposing their own beliefs on others. I'll protect a woman's right to make that choice, and I'll oppose any effort to restrict it further."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
"Decisions about pregnancy belong to a woman, her family, and her doctor, not to politicians. Real life is complicated. Women face rape, incest, serious threats to their health, and devastating diagnoses late in pregnancy. These are tragic, deeply personal decisions, and they shouldn't be made harder by lawmakers imposing their own beliefs on others. I'll protect a woman's right to make that choice, and I'll oppose any effort to restrict it further."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
"I oppose a New Hampshire income tax on earned income. Working families and retirees in Bedford already feel squeezed by housing costs and property taxes, and taxing paychecks is not the answer. I'm also committed to keeping retirement income untaxed so seniors can afford to stay in the communities they built. We also need to protect the paychecks for young families trying to raise their children here and make NH home."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
"Better-paying jobs come from businesses that can grow here, not from rate cuts alone. New Hampshire ranks 3rd nationally for overall tax competitiveness but 37th for its business tax structure. That's not because our rates are too high. It's because of outdated rules that penalize growing small businesses: limits on carrying forward early-year losses, no bonus depreciation, and caps on expensing new equipment. I'd fix those barriers before cutting rates further. That supports the investment and hiring that create better jobs without shrinking the revenue we need for public schools and first responders."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?
"Housing costs are the biggest affordability challenge facing young families, seniors who want to downsize, and the teachers, nurses and first responders our communities depend on. I support the state doing more to help towns say yes to housing, especially through incentives like infrastructure grants for water, sewer and roads, so new homes don't drive up local property taxes. Common-sense reforms like allowing accessory apartments make it easier for families to keep aging parents or adult children close to home. The best results come when Concord partners with towns rather than dictating to them."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire do more to encourage the development of nuclear power, including small modular reactors (SMR), in the state?
"I'm skeptical. Small modular reactors aren't commercially available in the U.S. yet, their costs are unproven, and New Hampshire families are still living with the legacy of Seabrook's delays and cost overruns. With some of the highest electricity rates in the country, we can't afford to gamble ratepayer dollars on unproven technology. We also need to protect New Hampshire's natural resources and ensure that any future SMR technology would not put them at risk. I'd rather invest now in proven, affordable solutions, like local solar, energy efficiency, and expanded net metering, that lower bills today. I won't support any nuclear project that puts financial risk on ratepayers or lacks the support of the host community."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support legislation to expand the net energy metering system capacity cap from 1 MW to 5 MW for all residential and commercial customers in New Hampshire?
"I support raising the net metering cap to 5 MW. New Hampshire families and businesses pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country, and more locally produced power gives us more control over our energy costs and less exposure to volatile fuel prices. Here in Bedford, we turned our old landfill into a solar array, putting land that couldn't be used for anything else to work lowering the town's energy costs. That's the kind of practical, taxpayer-friendly project more communities and businesses should be able to build. Expanding net metering makes sense, as long as compensation for larger projects is set fairly so that costs aren't shifted onto ratepayers who don't participate."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire restore funding for the Office of the Child Advocate?
"Absolutely. The Office of the Child Advocate was created after the tragic deaths of children the system failed to protect, and its job is to make sure that never happens again. Cutting nearly half its staff to save about $1 million a year was a false economy, and the recent allegations of abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center show the cost. Leaders in both parties now agree the funding should be restored. My wife has spent nearly 30 years working for the District Attorney's office in investigating and prosecuting crimes against children, and I've seen firsthand how vital this work is and how much more of it is needed every year. Protecting kids should never be on the budget chopping block."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
"Decisions about pregnancy belong to a woman, her family, and her doctor, not to politicians. Real life is complicated. Women face rape, incest, serious threats to their health, and devastating diagnoses late in pregnancy. These are tragic, deeply personal decisions, and they shouldn't be made harder by lawmakers imposing their own beliefs on others. I'll protect a woman's right to make that choice, and I'll oppose any effort to restrict it further."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire reinstate the interest and dividends tax?
"I support restoring a tax on investment income, but not the old version. The previous interest and dividends tax reached retirees and middle-class savers after only a few thousand dollars of income, and I won't support taxing seniors' savings. I would support a reformed version with a very high exemption, so it applies only to households with millions in investments, and every dollar it raises goes toward lowering local property taxes and funding our public schools. Bedford families shouldn't carry the full weight of property taxes while the largest fortunes in the state contribute nothing on their investment gains."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Do you support New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes?
"I don't support the current system. When the state pays only a small share of what it costs to educate a child, the rest falls on local property taxes, and that's a big reason housing has become so hard to afford for young families and seniors in Bedford. The NH Supreme Court has ruled that state funding is unconstitutionally low, and I'll work to make sure the next state budget pays the state's fair share. That means strong public schools and real property tax relief, paid for responsibly, without a broad-based income or sales tax."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?
"I support legalizing and regulating marijuana for adults 21 and older. New Hampshire is the only state in New England where it isn't legal, so Granite Staters simply drive across the border, and we lose the tax revenue while still paying to arrest and prosecute people for something legal a few miles away. I prefer a licensed, regulated private market with strong protections for kids: strict age verification, limits on marketing, and impaired-driving enforcement. Revenue should go toward property tax relief, public schools, and substance misuse prevention. I have yet to determine if the state selling marijuana under the same model as our liquor stores is the appropriate venue."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?
"I support legalizing and regulating marijuana for adults 21 and older. New Hampshire is the only state in New England where it isn't legal, so Granite Staters simply drive across the border, and we lose the tax revenue while still paying to arrest and prosecute people for something legal a few miles away. I prefer a licensed, regulated private market with strong protections for kids: strict age verification, limits on marketing, and impaired-driving enforcement. Revenue should go toward property tax relief, public schools, and substance misuse prevention. I have yet to determine if the state selling marijuana under the same model as our liquor stores is the appropriate venue."Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?
"I support legalizing and regulating marijuana for adults 21 and older. New Hampshire is the only state in New England where it isn't legal, so Granite Staters simply drive across the border, and we lose the tax revenue while still paying to arrest and prosecute people for something legal a few miles away. I prefer a licensed, regulated private market with strong protections for kids: strict age verification, limits on marketing, and impaired-driving enforcement. Revenue should go toward property tax relief, public schools, and substance misuse prevention. I have yet to determine if the state selling marijuana under the same model as our liquor stores is the appropriate venue."Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire require new voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, when registering to vote?
"I served more than 25 years in the Air Force defending the Constitution, including every citizen's right to vote. Every new voter should prove they are a U.S. citizen, and I support that requirement. Most Granite Staters can do it easily with a passport, birth certificate, or the state's own records, like New Hampshire birth records and REAL ID. But proof shouldn't mean turning away eligible citizens. Under the 2024 law, hundreds of eligible voters were sent home from the polls, including an 89-year-old woman who had voted here for 70 years. After a full trial, a federal judge found that noncitizen voting in New Hampshire is essentially non-existent and struck down the law's harshest provision. For the rare citizen who doesn't have documents in hand, I support a sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury, verified afterward and backed by serious criminal penalties. That's how we protect both election security and every citizen's right to vote."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire allow at least 10% of students in each school district to enroll in a different public school, regardless of where they live?
"I oppose forcing districts to release at least 10% of their students. Local voters already decide whether and how their schools participate in open enrollment, and Concord shouldn't override those decisions. When a student leaves, only state aid follows them, while the district's costs stay the same, and the difference lands on local property taxpayers. Before expanding open enrollment, the state should meet its constitutional obligation to fund public schools adequately. I'm open to school choice within the public system, but it has to be fully funded and protect students with special needs."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
"Decisions about pregnancy belong to a woman, her family, and her doctor, not to politicians. Real life is complicated. Women face rape, incest, serious threats to their health, and devastating diagnoses late in pregnancy. These are tragic, deeply personal decisions, and they shouldn't be made harder by lawmakers imposing their own beliefs on others. I'll protect a woman's right to make that choice, and I'll oppose any effort to restrict it further."Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should state law cap how much local school districts can increase their budget each year?
"I strongly oppose state-imposed caps on local school budgets. New Hampshire voters already have the power to cap their school budgets at town meeting, and community after community has said no, because they know what it actually costs to run good schools. The current majority in Concord keeps refusing to accept those local decisions. The real driver of high property taxes is the state failing to pay its fair share of school funding, which the NH Supreme Court has ruled is unconstitutionally low. A cap doesn't fix that. It forces cuts to teachers, special education and student services while leaving the state's underfunding in place. Local communities, not Concord, should decide what their schools need."For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2026
Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?
"I'm a gun owner, and with over 25 years in the military, across five deployments, I know what disciplined and well-trained firearms use is. I respect the Second Amendment and New Hampshire's tradition of responsible gun ownership. With that freedom comes responsibility: keeping firearms out of the hands of children, people who have lost the right to own them, and those who pose a real threat to others, including domestic abusers. I support closing the gun show loophole by requiring background checks on all gun sales, so felons and dangerous individuals can't avoid a check by buying privately. I also support safe storage so kids can't get to a loaded firearm. These are common-sense measures that responsible gun owners support."
