WEST LEBANON — Lebanon City Councilor Karen Liot Hill earned the Democratic nomination for the District 2 Executive Council seat in primary voting on Tuesday.

Liot Hill garnered a little more than 17,000 votes, or 56%, besting New London resident Mike Liberty’s 13,500, or 44%, according to results from the Associated Press.

Liot Hill will face the Republican winner Kim Strathdee, of Carroll, N.H., in November’s general election.

On Tuesday, Strathdee earned about 8,500 votes, or 56%, beating out Mary Rose Deak, of Concord, who earned 6,600 votes, or 44%.

In a Wednesday interview, Liot Hill described the primary results as a “grassroots victory” for her campaign, which she said relied more on building networks across the district than raising funds.

“This is really a story about people power and political organizing, and I’m really excited to see that in New Hampshire, money does not always determine the victor and that there is a huge role for grassroots politics and relational organizing,” Liot Hill said. “I’m really proud of the positive, people-powered campaign that we ran over this last year, and I feel really excited about keeping this up for the next eight weeks and getting over the finish line.”

As of Sept. 4, Liot Hill’s campaign raised just over $112,000, well below Liberty’s $469,000, according to statements of receipts and expenditures filed with the state.

Leading up the general election, Liot Hill said her main focus will be on not only getting herself elected, but on supporting all Democratic candidates in New Hampshire, who she says share a common goal of creating “a state and a country where we can make life better for people, where we can all succeed and prosper and live up to our full potential and pursue the American dream.”

Liot Hill said voters have shared a general sense that “life is a struggle and it’s a struggle that is becoming harder” and her priority is to remove some of the pressure from families. She identified these pressures as financial burdens in the housing market and child care and “attacks” on education, transgender kids and LGBTQ+ people and women.

“Women do not right now in New Hampshire have full bodily autonomy, and that is definitely something that I am hearing about from people. If you don’t have control of your own body, what kind of freedom is that? If you don’t have control of your own body are you really free?” Liot Hill asked.

Strathdee said in an interview Wednesday morning that she is “ecstatic” and “honored” to have earned the Republican nomination.

She was quick to add “as excited as I am this morning, reality has already set in as to hitting the ground to come out successful on Nov. 5.”

Strathdee said she is particularly aware that Republican turnout was considerably lower at the polls than Democratic turnout and she hopes to focus her next phase of campaigning in the southwestern region of District 2, specifically Claremont, Hanover and Newport.

“I think (the voters) need to get to know me a little better,” she said.

While Strathdee identified her primary focuses in the race as education, economy and infrastructure, she said “the top issue is whatever is of most concern to whoever I’m talking to. All of the issues are important.”

Outside of those three big issues, Strathdee noted that there are many she has yet to address extensively, including gun rights and women’s health.

On gun rights, Strathdee said while she is not a gun owner, “I’m definitely a big second amendment girl.”

On women’s health, she added, “I do feel that women’s health care is important. Come on, I’m a woman. I’ve been a teenage girl who needed health care,” but emphasized that, to her, women’s health goes beyond reproductive rights and, “isn’t all about that dreaded ‘A-word’ that I distinctly dislike discussing.”

November’s winner will replace Cinde Warmington, who did not run for reelection. Warmington is the sole Democrat on the council. District 2 includes 19 New Hampshire towns in the Upper Valley.

Clare Shanahan can be reached at cshanahan@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.