Packard: I'll Be Back, But Not As New Hampshire House Speaker

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

New Hampshire House Speaker Sherman Packard says he will run for reelection as a legislator this fall, but he will not seek another term wielding the speaker’s gavel next year.

Packard’s announcement comes after speculation sparked by his recent public comment that his future plans remained “up in the air.” Some State House observers took that to mean the veteran Republican might be considering another run for speaker.

Packard told NHJournal that is not the case.

“When I said my future remained ‘up in the air,’ I was referring to what comes after my service as speaker, not any plans to seek the office again,” Packard said.

“As a matter of courtesy and respect, over the past year, I have been sharing my intentions with my House colleagues directly before making a broad public announcement.

“In fact, Speaker Pro Tempore Jim Kofalt and I spoke at length about this and his plans well before he announced his candidacy, and I was pleased to attend his campaign kickoff event (last) Saturday.

Kofalt, who currently serves as speaker pro tempore, has already launched a campaign to become the next speaker.

Packard has filed for reelection, pledging to “remain focused on serving my constituents and the people of New Hampshire. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as speaker, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished together. My focus remains on finishing this biennium strong and ensuring a smooth transition to the next generation of House leadership.”

Packard’s decision marks the beginning of the end of one of the most unusual speakerships in modern New Hampshire history.

The Londonderry Republican took the gavel in the wake of tragedy. After Republicans pulled off a shocking upset win to take control of the House in 2020 (Biden carried the state by nearly 8 points), Merrimack Republican Dick Hinch was elected speaker. But Hinch died suddenly in December 2020, just days after being sworn in. An autopsy determined the cause of death was COVID-19.

Packard, who had been named deputy speaker, became acting speaker and was later elected by the full House to succeed Hinch.

He went on to lead the 400-member House through the pandemic-era disruption of remote meetings, outdoor sessions, and bitter fights over masking and public health policy. At one point, the House convened in a University of New Hampshire parking lot to conduct state business with members sitting in their cars. When Packard was elected speaker, House Clerk Paul Smith had to instruct members to stop honking their horns in celebration.

Packard presided over a House GOP majority that passed business tax cuts, expanded Education Freedom Accounts, and helped advance the Republican agenda under both Govs. Chris Sununu and Kelly Ayotte.

Rep. Ross Berry (R-Weare), a GOP leader in the House, thanked Packard for his service.

“Republicans should thank him for taking the gavel in the middle of tragedy, navigating the House through COVID, and presiding over historic tax relief and education freedom,” Berry said. “He steadied the ship, trusted the team around him, and empowered the House majority to do what voters sent us there to do.”

Packard said his focus is on finishing the current term and helping ensure a smooth handoff.

For New Hampshire Republicans, his departure from the speaker’s race means the coming leadership contest will be about who takes the House GOP into its next chapter — not whether Packard intends to keep the gavel.

House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) called it “an honor and a privilege to serve next alongside him for the last eight years, protecting and expanding the New Hampshire Advantage.

“New Hampshire is the best state in this country by every metric that matters thanks to the service of great men like Speaker Packard.”

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.