March 11, 2009 'Granny D' celebrates 99th birthday Play video

(NECN: Lauren Collins, NH) - New Hampshire's Granny D is 99 and still going strong. She was the guest of honor at a belated birthday party today at the New Hampshire State House.

Granny D has a lot to celebrate -- she's published a book, walked across the country, and run for U.S. Senate against Judd Gregg -- and that's since she turned 90.

Today, she exchanged her signature feathered cap for a birthday crown and listened to the well wishes of her friends in New Hampshire along with greetings from the likes of Senator Arlen Specter and former President Jimmy Carter.

Doris "Granny D" Haddock has devoted the last decade to campaign finance reform, the impetus behind her famed coast to coast walk and the reason she's still active at age 99.

She believes the problem is that well qualified, well intentioned candidates are systemically shut out of public office by the high cost of a campaign.

In New Hampshire, where a state Senate race costs more than $100,000, a legislative task force will look at ways to publicly fund state-level races.

The U.S. Senate will consider a bill later this month that would triple the cap on publicly-funded presidential campaigns and reform the rules for national races to allow for small donations.

Granny D hopes to see President Obama sign that law, and to see the state she's spent nearly a century in champion her cause.