Booker Campaign Press Release - New Hampshire State Rep. Rosemarie Rung Endorses Cory Booker for President

Booker Earns Field-Leading 102nd New Hampshire Endorsement from Merrimack "Water Warrior"

Manchester, NH — New Hampshire State Representative Rosemarie Rung (Merrimack) -- one of the Merrimack "Water Warriors" who advocates for safe water and to hold corporate polluters accountable -- today announced she is endorsing Cory Booker for president.

Earlier this week, Booker announced that he's earned 100 endorsements from Granite State leaders -- more than any other 2020 candidate. That total now climbs to 102 and follows an endorsement yesterday from State Rep. Garrett Muscatel (Hanover).

"I wasn't planning to endorse a candidate in the primary, but it's become clear that we need Cory Booker's voice now and we need his leadership in the Oval Office," said State Rep. Rosemarie Rung. "Cory has consistently taken on difficult challenges, and he has experience getting legislation passed in Congress. These are critical qualities as we cannot wait any longer to address climate change, to make health care and higher education affordable, to ensure fair housing for everyone, and much more.

"When I met Cory for the third time last month, he came to my home to meet local Merrimack folks and my neighbors. His impact on them was palpable. He is down-to-earth yet visionary, strong yet compassionate, accomplished yet humble. I'm certain he can unite our country so we can return to the business of being Americans serving our Constitution and earning the respect of the world. Cory will have our back as president, and I wholeheartedly endorse him."

Rung was elected in 2018 and represents Hillsborough County District 21. She is among a group of women from Merrimack, dubbed "Water Warriors," who won state legislative seats last year fueled by their activism standing up to corporate polluters, specifically related to water in their community contaminated with PFAS chemicals.

As Booker has campaigned across New Hampshire, from Merrimack to the Seacoast, water contamination has been one of the biggest concerns he's heard from residents. In May, he held a Facebook town hall with New Hampshire residents so he could learn more and shape solutions. When he released his $3 trillion climate plan in September, Booker emphasized that his administration would revitalize the EPA so that it holds corporate polluters accountable and cleans up SuperFund sites.

Booker would also establish a United States Environmental Justice Fund that would be charged with coordinating the most ambitious-ever federal effort to advance environmental justice and invest in communities long left behind. Through the Fund, Booker would replace all residential, school, and daycare lead drinking water service lines and remediate all housing units where children reside and schools that contain peeling or chipping lead-based paint and high levels of lead-contaminated dust. He would also initiate clean up of every "orphaned" shovel-ready Superfund site. New Hampshire has 20 Formerly Used Defense (FUD) sites and 22 Superfund sites.

In addition to Rung, Booker has earned the backing of three state senators, 18 additional state representatives, the state's longest-serving mayor, and dozens of key activists across New Hampshire.