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Gatsas Launches Reelection Bid Amid Controversy Over Handling of School Rape Case

Jason Moon for NHPr

Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas officially kicked-off his reelection campaign Tuesday night. The event was held just as news of how city officials handled a rape at a Manchester high school in 2015 is creating controversy.

In a short speech at the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Manchester, Ted Gatsas struck an upbeat tone to start his campaign.

“I hope everybody has the ‘I love Manchester’ patch on," said Gatsas, "because that’s what were going to run on this time. About I love Manchester and the great things that are happening in this city.”

Gatsas, a Republican, touted what he called accomplishments in combating the opioid epidemic and improving city infrastructure.

But absent from his remarks was any mention of the burgeoning controversy over how the rape of a student at a Manchester high school almost two years ago was not announced publicly until just last week.

Following his speech, the mayor refused to take any questions that “deviated” from the focus of the event.

Gatsas faces an electoral rematch with Democrat Joyce Craig, who came within a few dozen votes of beating him two years ago.

Jason Moon is a senior reporter and producer on the Document team. He has created longform narrative podcast series on topics ranging from unsolved murders, to presidential elections, to secret lists of police officers.
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