Democrats Sweep New Hampshire Legislature and Executive Council
Democrats won majorities in the New Hampshire House, Senate, and Executive Council, creating a divided government for re-elected Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte.
Democrats secured a sweeping victory in the November 4 elections, winning majorities in the New Hampshire House, Senate, and the five-seat Executive Council. This shift creates a divided government for Kelly Ayotte, who won re-election as governor with approximately 51% of the vote. The Executive Council, previously controlled by Republicans 4-1, now consists entirely of Democrats, including re-elected incumbent Karen Liot Hill and newcomers Luz Bay, Lisa Kennedy Sheldon, Jim O’Connell, and Melanie Levesque.
The Democratic surge resulted in the defeat of several high-profile Republicans. Chris Pappas won a U.S. Senate seat by defeating John E. Sununu, becoming the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate. Additionally, voters unseated House Speaker Sherman Packard and state Representative Ross Berry. With majorities in both legislative chambers, Democrats now possess the power to override gubernatorial vetoes.
Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill urged Governor Ayotte to delay nominating a new Supreme Court chief justice until the new council is seated in January to respect the voters' choice. The council must approve the governor's judicial nominees, department commissioners, and state contracts exceeding $10,000. Newly elected councilor Jim O’Connell stated that judicial appointments should be based on competency rather than political affiliation.
