Hancock: Fixing Economy is Job One

At 25, Matthew Hancock may appear to be too young and inexperienced to run for the 1st District Congressional seat. But he is old enough to understand that repairing the economy resonates with people of all ages.

“Getting people jobs and getting them steady incomes is just the main priority,” said Hancock, who works as a software developer in Dover.

If elected, the Portsmouth Democrat would push for another federal economic stimulus package that would be used more for public infrastructure projects to put more people back to work. He said the first federal economic stimulus did help the economy, but too much of it was used to bail out states that were in the red.

As someone who was in high school when the Iraq War began in 2003, Hancock also believes his candidacy speaks to members of the younger generation who are feeling the weight of the sluggish economy.

“I think there are a lot of people graduating from college with huge student loan bills without many job prospects,” he said. “It really is important to me to make sure that everyone has a real economic opportunity and isn’t just struggling to get by,” he said.

Hancock also believes that Congress should push to limit the U.S. military's role overseas so the country doesn't get bogged down in another engagement like the Iraq War or the War in Aghanistan that cost trillions of dollars to fight and carry out nation building.

He believes many members of that generation are the ones who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will also support a more limited role for the military.

Certain engagements where the U.S. can recoup some reimbursement for military operations such as the bombing of Libya in 2011 make more sense than undefined objectives, Hancock said.

For example, Hancock said the U.S. will receive some reimbursement in oil proceeds for the action it took to help liberate Libya from former dictator Mommar Ghadaffi. “We should be for hire rather than go on our own adventures,” he said.

If the U.S. were attacked again as it was on September 11, 2001, Hancock would support military action and counter-terrorism action, but not nation building that occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When asked he is concerned that his foreign policy positions could threaten the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine and the Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington, Hancock replied he is not concerned about that.

While Hancock has outlined strong positions on his Web site that he supports the development of more clean energy as well as Medicare and Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, he knows his greatest challenge involves getting the word out that he, too, is in the race.

Whereas Democratic First Congressional candidate Joanne Dowdell is regarded as the underdog who is battling former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter for the nomination, Hancock said his name doesn't even come up in the discussion.

He hopes to change this by continuing his attacks against Republican Congressman Frank Guinta. Just recently, Hancock launched a series of videos on his Web site aimed at Guinta. Between this tactic, holding a town meeting in every city and town in the First District, and using the full power of social media, Hancock hopes to level the playing field between now and November.

“My priority isn’t necessarily to be the nominee. My priority is to make sure that a Democrat defeats Frank Guinta in November.”