New Hampshire Majority Leader: We’ll Control The House In 2023-2024 Session

CONCORD, NH — Despite concerns Republicans may have lost the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterms, after a blue wall of millions of dollars in abortion rights advertising held back a perceived red wave, leaders said Wednesday they would hold the majority.

Late last night and early this morning, as returns began to be tabulated across the state, early returns looked like Republicans might lose the majority in the house and possibly the Executive Council and state Senate. However, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, said Wednesday the house would remain Republican.

“Our state-level candidates have once again bucked the national trend and outperformed our federal nominees,” he said. “The voters of New Hampshire have spoken and have sent Republicans back into the majority in the House for the 2023-2024 term. I am looking forward to this coming term, where we will be increasing our numbers beyond this term’s current 202 Republicans.”

Osborne said the GOP’s focus on lowering energy prices, lower taxes, and more personal freedom were promises they looked forward to delivering on in the coming term.

“We have shown that we can be effective with a small majority, and we will do it again,” he said.

While congratulating members who were reelected, Osborne also congratulated his opponents.

“I would also like to congratulate my Democratic colleagues on their victories,” he said. “It is my sincere hope that we can develop a better working relationship in the near future.”

The House Republican Office believes it has at least 203 Republican seats in the next session.

Election Results

• Amherst NH 2022 Election Results
• Bedford NH 2022 Election Results
• Concord NH 2022 Election Results
• Exeter NH 2022 Election Results
• Hampton-North Hampton 2022 Election Results
• Londonderry NH 2022 Election Results
• Merrimack NH 2022 Election Results
• Milford NH 2022 Election Results
• Nashua NH 2022 Election Results
• Portsmouth NH 2022 Election Results
• Salem NH 2022 Election Results
• Windham NH 2022 Election Results

Republicans Hold Executive Council Majority

With anywhere from 89 to 98 percent of returns counted, Republicans will hold their majority in the Executive Council by either a four-to-one majority, like it is now, or a three-to-two majority.

Cinde Warmington, D-Concord, easily bested Republican challenger Harold French for the District 2 seat by more than 23,000 votes. The newly redistricted seat, which was gerrymandered as a safe-Democrat seat 11 years ago, was radically changed but is still a safe-Democrat seat.

In District 3, Janet Stevens, R-Rye, was declared the winner against challenger state Rep. Katherine Harake, a Democrat, by more than 11,400 votes.

Republican Ted Gatsas, the former mayor of Manchester, fended off a challenge from former state Sen. Kevin Cavanaugh, a Democrat, for the District 4 seat by about 5,000 votes, while Dave Wheeler, another incumbent Republican, was able to best Nashua Alderwoman Shoshanna Kelly, a Democrat, by more than 5,100 votes to hold onto the District 5 seat.

The only race that has not been declared is the District 1 seat, where incumbent Republican Joseph Kenney leads Democrat Mayor Dana Hilliard by more than 2,500 votes, with 89 percent counted. District 1 was also radically redesigned during redistricting — with new communities on the eastern part of the state added to the seat while other parts of the district were added to District 2.

While the District 1 seat had not been called at post time, Democrats appear to have conceded the seat.

Warmington said Democrats had hoped for “a more balanced Executive Council,” the fight for families and “commonsense solutions” was far from over.

“Extremism has no place in our state,” she said. “I will continue to be the voice of reason for all Granite Staters in Concord over the next two years.”

Warmington said Democrats during the past two years built an organization “that will carry on into the future and work towards electing an Executive Council that reflects the values of Granite Staters.” She also blamed the losses on “the effects of deeply gerrymandered districts,” even though, as the competitive races showed, her district was the only one that was gerrymandered.

GOP Leads In The Senate; 2 Races Not Called

Republicans control 12 state Senate seats and lead in two races that have not been called.

With 77 percent of the vote counted, Carrie Gendreau, a Republican, holds a 1,500-plus vote lead against Democrat Edith Tucker for the District 1 Senate seat.

Another race that has not been called is the District 9 seat, one of two questionably redesigned Senate seats running from Bedford to the Vermont border. Incumbent Republican state Sen. Denise Ricciardi has a 1,000-plus vote lead with 85 percent of the votes counted.

One incumbent Republican lost his seat on Tuesday: District 11 state Sen. Gary Daniels, R-Milford, was beaten by former state Sen. Shannon Chandley, R-Amherst, by about 700 votes, with 98 percent of the vote counted.

Daniels was the subject of a complaint filed with the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office by a Milford resident who complained the Board of Selectmen appeared to be violating state law by allowing Daniels, who was also a long-time selectman in town, to have access to the Town Report Book, a free publication for the public, while not giving the same opportunity to other state elected officials, including Democrats.

The state received the complaint but offered no comment.

Also Read

• Sununu Wins Reelection; Democrats Hold Federal Offices: Election 2022
• As Expected, Huge 2022 Midterm Election Turnout In New Hampshire
• How NH Candidates And Campaign Pros Spend Election Day — And Why They Hate It
• Graham: New Hampshire Politics, 2022: 'No Comment' Vs. No Limits
• The 12 Facts That Could Decide The New Hampshire Elections
• Two Ballot Questions Await Voters On Election Day – Here's What They Mean
• Primer On New Hampshire's Executive Council Races
• Q&A: Secretary Of State Scanlan Discusses What To Expect On Election Day And Beyond
• Pros Are Giving Democrats The Edge While Rating The NH 2022 Races
• Heeter: Musing Joyfully On Voters
• Distant Dome: Vote Like Your Country Depends On It
• Leavitt, Pappas Battle To A Draw In Final TV Debate
• Analysis: Hassan's Ham-Fisted Handling Of Fair Tax Feeds Doubts About Campaign
• Five New Hampshire State Senate Races To Watch On Election Day
• League Of Women Voters Says Voter Interest In Candidate Forums Increased This Year
• UNH Political Science Department Denies Bias In Leavitt Snub
• Second Merrimack County Sheriff's Staffer Accused Of Misconduct
• Rhode Island Man Arrested At Hassan-Bolduc NH U.S. Senate Debate
• NH Races Tighten, With Polls Showing Surprises: 2022 Political Roundup
• Cops Called As Seacoast GOP Candidate, Supporters Attacked On Campaign Trail
• Pappas' Flip-Flop On Jones Act Angers Maritime, Labor Orgs
• Kuster And Burns Go Toe To Toe In 2nd Congressional District Debate
• Trump's Endorsement Of Bolduc Isn't Pretty, But It Could Still Give Him A Boost
• Poll: Sununu For POTUS? Most Granite Staters Say 'Sure!'
• Analysis: Hassan's Ham-Fisted Handling Of Fair Tax Feeds Doubts About Campaign
• Leadership Fight Looms As Shurtleff, Wilhelm Vie For Top House Spot
• Merrimack County Sheriff Not Featured In Hassan Police Mailer
• Manchester Mall Murder Will Add To Crime Concerns As Midterms Approach
• Sununu And Sherman Spar Over Abortion, School Funding, Energy Policy
• Sherman Shaky In First Debate, Picks Abortion Over Inflation As Most Important NH Issue
• Debates In NH Begin; Ads Blanket State; More: 2022 Political Roundup

Got a news tip? Send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel. Follow the New Hampshire Patch Politics Twitter account @NHPatchPolitics for all our campaign coverage.