O'Brien Names Chandler Speaker Pro Tem

Presumed House Speaker state Rep. William O’Brien, R-Mont Vernon, announced today that former Speaker Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, will serve as House Speaker Pro Tem, according to a release from the House Republican Office.

O’Brien recently beat Chandler in the Republican caucus to be the nominee for speaker by a handful of votes. He stated that Chandler had “consistently demonstrated his commitment to the state and has been a leader at every level of the House” during his 17 terms.

“There is no one more knowledgeable than Gene on the institution and tradition of this body,” O’Brien stated. “Moreover, he has been a reliable voice for limited, effective government in keeping with the values Granite Staters hold dear. I’m thrilled he’s joined our leadership team and look forward to him playing an important role in moving our state forward over the next session.”

Chandler also served as pro tem during O’Brien’s previous speakership tenure. He said he looked forward to working with O’Brien during the next two years and hoped that Republicans would join both of them in restoring the state’s economy.

“(O’Brien) shares my concerns about making sure that New Hampshire delivers fiscally accountable government that lives within its means to the public,” Chandler stated. “That begins with responsible revenue estimates and holding the Governor and state agencies to task for staying within their budgets. Together, we can make sure that our state’s fiscal house is in order and we take the steps to get New Hampshire’s economy back on track and growing again.”

O’Brien, according to NHJournal.com, met with Gov. Maggie Hassan recently in private. He called the meeting “great” and that they would be working toward finding solutions to the state’s problems in the future.

The full House will vote for speaker later this week, on Dec. 3.