NH Democrats Control House, Senate, Executive Council

CONCORD, NH -- New Hampshire's newly elected, Democrat-controlled legislature is taking shape. A blue wave hit the Granite State on Election Day last week, with Democrats flipping the House, Senate and Executive Council. One of the lone victories for Republicans was the re-election of GOP Governor Chris Sununu.

Pending recounts, Democrats have a 14-10 majority in the Senate, a 233-167 majority in the House and 3-2 edge on the Executive Council, which approves state contracts and oversees spending.

The election was a "blowout," according to New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley. The new majorities will make the state a "more fair and prosperous place for everyone," Buckley said in a statement.

New Hampshire Republican Party Chair Wayne MacDonald is not so sure.

"Over the next two years, Granite Staters will witness the lack of serious policy proposals presented by the New Hampshire Democrats," MacDonald said in a statement.

MacDonald said GOP candidates were "extremely outspent." The party claimed victories with wins by Senators Ruth Ward, Bob Giuda and Harold French.

"New Hampshire Republicans have two years to build an organization in the State of New Hampshire that will retake the seats we lost last night and more," MacDonald added. "With Governor Chris Sununu leading the way, I am confident the New Hampshire Republican Party will succeed."

GOP State Sen. Chuck Morse, of Salem, was appointed minority leader.

"Chuck's strong leadership and expertise on the state budget will be an invaluable asset for this legislative term," Sununu said in a statement.

Sununu acknowledged there's a new political atmosphere in Concord.

"The next two years are going to be a little bit different," Sununu said in his victory speech Election Day. "But that's OK. That's New Hampshire."

The new legislature will likely address family leave and marijuana legalization laws in the coming months, among other issues. The legislature includes the the first transgender lawmakers in the House and first black lawmaker in the Senate. In Concord, voters elected Safiya Wazier, who escaped the Taliban and recently earned her American citizenship. And a teenage Girl Scout who helped end child marriage was also elected to the House.

Democrats also swept both of the state's congressional seats with wins by Chris Pappas and Ann Kuster.

New Hampshire 2018 Midterm Election Results

• NH Democratic Wave Halted At Governor's Office; Sununu Re-Elected
• Chris Pappas First LGBTQ Congressman For NH
• NH Trump-Backed Candidate Loses Congressional Race

Photo credit: Tony Schinella/Patch