NASHUA, N.H. — Opioid Lobbyist Cinde Warmington is officially the Democrat nominee for Governor of New Hampshire, and her disqualifying record is on full display for Granite Staters.
“Opioid Lobbyist Cinde Warmington is officially the Democrat nominee for Governor, and her record is on display for all to see: decades of lobbying for Purdue Pharma, advocating for a notorious pill mill, and putting her own self-interest ahead of New Hampshire,” said Ayotte campaign spokesman John Corbett. “Voters will reject Opioid Lobbyist Warmington this November.”
Opioid Lobbyist Cinde Warmington: Disqualified from Ever Serving as Governor
- As a lobbyist for Purdue Pharma, Cinde Warmington testified before the New Hampshire Senate in 2002 defending the company and advocating for looser restrictions on OxyContin, calling it a “miracle drug” with “very few side effects”.
- In the same hearing, state health officials and law enforcement were sounding the alarm about its dangers.
- “We believe that Purdue Pharma has manufactured a drug which is highly addictive and it’s in a form… they produced in a form which makes it abuseable; that is a problem that they need to correct, and I hope they do.” — Former DHHS Commissioner Donald Shumway
- “We have had a number of night break-ins, armed robberies, unarmed robberies, and strong-arm robberies which Oxycontin had been demanded. The people who are abusing these drugs are willing to risk committing more serious crimes because nothing else matters but getting those drugs.” — Nancy Wiggins, New Hampshire State Police
- Warmington’s excuse for her lies on behalf of Purdue Pharma is that she was duped into working for them.
Advocated for a Notorious Pill Mill
- For more than a decade, Warmington served as a lawyer for Dr. Michael O’Connell and his PainCare network, a chain of New Hampshire pain clinics whose practices were found to have worsened the opioid crisis in the Granite State, including a provider taking illegal kickbacks for prescribing opioids.
- Warmington repeatedly fought on PainCare’s behalf: she represented O’Connell after he surrendered his medical license, helped negotiate a settlement for a doctor tied to the kickback scandal, lobbied against legislation that would prevent doctors with revoked licenses from owning a medical practice, and even met with NHPR to defend PainCare’s public image.
- After Warmington defended O’Connell and his pill mills for years, O’Connell fueled her political campaigns with nearly $50,000.00 in donations.
Granite Staters Have Serious Issues
“She’s using that blood money to get herself into the governor’s office.” — Recovery advocates opposing Cinde’s failed gubernatorial campaign, 6/4/2024
“She was a Purdue Pharma lobbyist, she called OxyContin a miracle drug. And then for over 20 years she worked for doctors and a notorious pill mill that were pushing opioids into our communities. And then she took campaign funds to the tune of almost $70,000 from these bad actors. That’s wrong.” — Former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, 8/27/2024
“People across NH are disappointed with the NHDP’s selection of Cinde Warmington (again) for the Democratic candidate…Cinde wasn’t able to win the Democratic primary two years ago and there’s no way she will beat Kelly Ayotte in the general election this year.” — Somersworth Democrat Committee, 5/20/2026
“Cinde Warmington will lose to Kelly Ayotte because of her ties to Purdue Pharma.” —Jon Kiper, 9/5/2024
“It’s disturbing that someone running for Governor has made a career out of helping opioid companies harm our state, but it’s even more disturbing that Cinde Warmington is so willing to lie through her teeth to be elected.”— Chad Gamache, Manchester Firefighter, 9/7/2024
“The dangers of opioids were known — that’s why the legislature was acting”— Kathy Sullivan, Former NH Democrat Party Chair, 8/6/2024
“For years, while this crisis was tightening its grip on our state, Cinde did not stand with the families we were trying to save. She stood with the system that harmed them. She lobbied for Purdue Pharma as OxyContin spread through communities like a wildfire. She represented pain clinics that overprescribed powerful drugs while addiction spiraled out of control. She worked on behalf of doctors who lost licenses for misconduct, helping them get back into practice while law enforcement was left to deal with the consequences.” —Sheriffs Bill Wright, Chuck Massahos & Brian Newcomb, 3/3/2026
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