Paul Hodes

On February 16, 2019, Hodes joined the presidential campaign of Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson as a senior campaign advisor and New Hampshire state director.

Hodes was an unsuccessful candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by Judd Gregg in 2010, losing to former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte. He left Congress in January 2011 and was replaced by Charles Bass. In 2011, Hodes was named as a board member of the Public Advisory Board of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Hodes has joined the boards of ADL, New England and the NJDC (National Jewish Democratic Council). Since 2011, Hodes has served as President of the Economic Innovation Institute, a political advocacy organization. He is also a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.

In September 2008, Hodes voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, also known as "the financial bailout bill", which enacted the Troubled Asset Relief Program ("TARP").

In 2008, Hodes was re-elected winning with approximately 56% of the vote.

Hodes endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary.

In a rematch held on November 7, 2006, Hodes defeated Bass 53% to 46%.

Hodes ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for United States House of Representatives in 2004 against incumbent Charles Bass in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district.

Hodes's wife Peggo is an award-winning children's musician with whom Hodes has recorded and performed as "Paul & Peggo." The couple won the 1996 Parent's Choice Honors Award for their album "Patchwork Quilt" and performed at the White House.

Hodes began playing guitar at age 15. Throughout his adult life, he has been both a performer and active member of the arts and entertainment communities. After graduating from Dartmouth College, Hodes spent three years acting, writing, and working on radio shows. While in law school, he acted in the Boston Arts Group . In the 1990s, Hodes was instrumental in the creation of the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, and previously served on the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. In 2012, President Obama appointed Hodes to the National Council for the Arts which advises the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition to re-invigorating his performing career, Hodes now manages musical acts including Hawk & Dove, Black Cosmic and Larksong trio through Big Round Music, LLC.

Hodes worked as an attorney with the New Hampshire Department of Justice from 1978 until 1980. He was an Assistant Attorney General from 1980 until 1982, when he left to serve as a special prosecutor. From 1983 until 1996 he was in private practice. He is now of Counsel to the firm of Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. in Concord, New Hampshire.

Paul William Hodes (born March 21, 1951) is an American attorney, musician, and former U.S. Representative for New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was New Hampshire's first Jewish representative.

Hodes was born in New York City in 1951, the son of Florence R. (née Rosenberg) and Robert Bernard Hodes. His ancestors were Jewish immigrants from Russia, Poland, and Austria. Hodes graduated from The Collegiate School in 1968 and from Dartmouth College in 1972. At Dartmouth, Hodes majored in French and Theater. In the fall of 1971, Hodes spent a semester studying theater at the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. In 1978, Hodes graduated from Boston College Law School.