By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – State Sen. Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro was unanimously elected Senate President on Wednesday.
Republican state Sen. Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, nominated Bradley, and Democrat Sen. Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, seconded his nomination.
Soucy and Carson both said they started out with Bradley more than 30 years ago in the state House of Representatives.
“I can’t speak highly enough about Sen. Bradley,” Carson said.
Soucy jokingly remembered they both had longer hair with a lot less gray in those early days.
Bradley said he was humbled by the unanimous vote. No other candidates were nominated.
“It really is a great honor,” Bradley said.
Before the vote, Gov. Chris Sununu swore in all 24 state senators. The party split is the same as last session 14 Republicans and 10 Democrats.
Sununu said in a news release after the vote: “Jeb Bradley is a leader and one of New Hampshire’s most effective legislators. I look forward to working with Senate President Bradley over the next two years so we can continue the progress we have made over the last six years.”
Bradley has served in the New Hampshire Senate since 2009 and has also been the Majority Leader through the 2011-2018 and 2021-2022 legislative sessions.
“Given the economic challenges that hard working families are dealing with, it must be our top priority to exercise prudent fiscal management with their hard-earned tax dollars. That means passing a conservative budget with no sales or income tax, as well as continuing to work on lowering energy costs, and creating more workforce housing. Our focus must be on growing a healthy economy in which our citizens and small businesses can thrive,” Bradley said.
Bradley’s Leadership Team
Majority Leader
Senator Sharon Carson (District 14 – Londonderry)
Senator James Gray (District 6 – Rochester)
Assistant Majority Leader
Senator Dan Innis (District 7 – Bradford)
Majority Whip
Senator Regina Birdsell (District 19 – Hampstead)
Assistant Majority Whip
Senator Ruth Ward (District 8 – Stoddard)
New Senate Majority Leader Carson said:
“Our directive for the upcoming 2023-2024 session will focus on uplifting Granite State families and increasing opportunity for New Hampshire residents. We look forward to empowering parents, expanding resources for our children, keeping our streets safe, and broadening the economic opportunities that allow Granite Staters to thrive. Senator Bradley will serve as a phenomenal leader in achieving these goals, and I am proud to be on his leadership team to help drive this success.”
Sen. Bradley represents District 3 that includes his hometown of Wolfeboro, Albany, Bartlett, Bean’s Grant, Bean’s Purchase, Brookfield, Chandler’s Purchase, Chatham, Conway, Crawford’s Purchase, Cutt’s Grant, Eaton, Effingham, Freedom, Green’s Grant, Hadley’s Purchase, Hale’s Location, Hart’s Location, Jackson, Lincoln, Livermore, Madison, Martin’s Location, Middleton, Milton, Moultonborough, Ossipee, Pinkham’s Grant, Sargent’s Purchase, Tamworth, Thompson and Meserve’s Purchase, Tuftonboro, Wakefield, Waterville Valley, and Wolfeboro.
