Representative Maria Perez Contact information

Maria Perez is an El-Salvadoran born American politician who has made significant contributions to the political landscape of New Hampshire. She has been serving as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, representing the 43rd district which includes part of Hillsborough County.

Maria Perez was first elected as a Democrat in 2020. However, in 2023, she left the party to sit as an Independent, citing a lack of progress on issues and feeling unwelcome in the party. Her decision to switch parties was met with mostly negative reactions from the Democratic Caucus, who cited the decision as disappointing.

Born in El Salvador on her grandparent’s farm, Maria Perez had a challenging childhood. She was one of nine children and faced numerous hardships, including sexual abuse by her father. At the age of 16, she was sold off into an arranged marriage in the United States. The journey to the United States was fraught with danger, and she was raped by two Mexican border agents. The marriage lasted 11 years and gave her two children.

Despite these challenges, Maria Perez showed remarkable resilience. At the age of 40, she graduated from Nashua Adult Learning and Nashua Community College. She also remarried to a new husband. Before entering politics, she worked for Alene Candles, the Ford Motor Company, and Campers Inn RV. In addition, Perez also served as a Regional Director for Amy Klobuchar’s 2020 presidential campaign.

While in the State House, Perez has focused on restoring abortion access in New Hampshire, the environment, and education. She is seated on the House Children and Family Law Committee. In 2021, Perez was accused of Antisemitism due to tweeting ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!’ and statements that Israel was an apartheid state. The tweets were then deleted. She received criticisms from local Jewish communities and issued an apology for her initial tweet, however did not address her claims about Israel. She was then removed from the New Hampshire House Progressive Caucus’s leadership.

In January 2024, she was removed from the Hillsborough County Delegation Executive Committee due to not being a member of a political party. Despite these challenges, Maria Perez continues to serve her constituents with dedication and commitment. She moved to New Hampshire from El Salvador and obtained citizenship in 2007. She is also the vice-chairwoman of the National Human Rights Committee.