The House Republican Caucus on Friday voted to nominate Sherman Packard as speaker of the House to succeed Dick Hinch, who died of COVID-19 on Dec. 9.
Packard, of Londonderry, has been serving as acting speaker. He is serving his 15th term in the House. The full House membership is scheduled to vote when it gathers on Jan. 6.
Gov. Chris Sununu congratulated Packard, saying he “will keep the Republican Caucus united, carry on Dick Hinch’s incredible legacy of service, and work with Senate President Chuck Morse to deliver results for the people of New Hampshire.”
Packard said in a statement, “Losing Speaker Hinch has been difficult for all of us, and this is not my first choice of how I wanted this session to go. However, we must continue our work, we must continue his work, and I promise that I will continue to further Dick’s vision of how he would have run the House.”
Hinch was sworn in Dec. 2 as speaker a week before he died at age 71. He was starting his seventh two-year term in the House.
In the state Senate, Sen. Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, was named majority leader, a position he has held before. He has served in the Senate since 2009.
