Candidate Announcement A Physician, Veteran, and Problem-Solver: Dr. Jim Kelly Runs to Find Solutions for Hollis
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I’m Dr. Jim Kelly, and I’m running to represent Hollis in the New Hampshire State House.
I have spent my life caring for people, solving problems, and serving others. I am a board-certified family physician with more than 40 years of clinical experience and have practiced in Hillsborough County since 1989. My career has taken me from private medical practice in New Hampshire to the Indian Health Service, the U.S. Army, and the VA. Along the way, I have cared for families in our communities, underserved populations, veterans, and members of our military.
Those experiences have shaped how I approach problems. I believe in listening first, understanding what is actually happening, and then finding practical solutions that work. That is the approach I want to have in/take to Concord.
Health care is one of the reasons I decided to run. We all know our health-care system has serious problems. I have lived and worked within very different health-care systems, including single-payer systems, and have seen firsthand both their strengths and their limitations.
New Hampshire is a small state, and that gives us an opportunity to innovate. I believe greater transparency and competition can help control costs, improve access, and give patients and families more control over their health-care decisions. Mental health and behavioral health must also be treated as fundamental parts of comprehensive medical care rather than separate issues.
Service to our military has also been an important part of my life. At age 58, I joined the New Hampshire Army National Guard because I believe providing high-quality care for our soldiers, especially those serving in areas of global conflict, among the highest of callings. I served for 15 years, including as New Hampshire State Surgeon, and recently retired at the rank of colonel. I was honored to receive national recognition for my service and contributions to military medicine.
My work with veterans and first responders continues today as president of Valor 1, a nonprofit organization that helps military service members and first responders obtain health care and behavioral health services.
I’m running for State Representative because I believe experience matters, but so does the willingness to put that experience to work. Health-care costs, property taxes, veterans’ services, and the many other challenges facing New Hampshire families need thoughtful solutions, not more government for the sake of government.
I also believe representation starts here at home. I want to hear from Hollis residents about what is working, what isn’t, and what you expect from the people you send to Concord. I will listen, ask questions, do my homework, and work hard to find solutions that make sense for Hollis and New Hampshire.
I am proud to run for office alongside Representatives Liz Barbour and Jack Flanagan on the Common Sense for NH ticket. In the months ahead, Liz, Jack, and I will be out knocking on doors, talking with neighbors at the transfer station, and meeting voters face-to-face. I invite you to visit CommonSenseforNH.com, where you can meet our Common Sense candidates, learn more about our priorities for Hollis and New Hampshire, and subscribe to receive campaign news and updates.
I look forward to meeting you in the months ahead, hearing what matters to you and your family, and earning your trust and your vote.
Dr. Jim Kelly
Candidate for State Representative, Hollis
603-204-7897
