House Republican leader

Below is a collection of stories from PolitickerNH.com's coverage of the House Republican leader race.

State Rep. Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton) said that she will "honor" the vote for House Republican leader.

Wendelboe ran for the House Republican leader against state Reps. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) and John Reagan (R-Deerfield). Wendelboe dropped out after the second ballot and threw her support behind Chandler who lost to state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) on the third ballot.

New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen said that House Republican leader state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) has a "majority mind set" needed to promote the Republican agenda.

"I think that Sherm has a very good temperament and has an inclusive vision for the caucus," Cullen said in an interview with PolitickerNH.com. "He shares what I call the majority mind set. Which is recognizing that without a majority none of our agenda goes anywhere."

Newly elected House Republican leader state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) said that he was "humbled" to be chosen leader, but added that the next two years will be challenging for the state.

Packard was elected last night in a close vote against state Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett). State Rep. Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton) and state Rep. John Reagan (R-Deerfield) were also running for the leadership position but dropped out after the second ballot.

CONCORD-State Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) said his defeat to become House Republican leader is "the way it goes."

Chandler lost to state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) by a mere 3 votes.

"It's the way it goes," Chandler told PolitickerNH.com. "I obviously want to thank all the people who supported me on the first, second, third ballot but it just wasn't enough."

CONCORD--State Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) has been elected the new House Republican leader.

Packard defeated state Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) in a vote of 82 to 79.

After the vote was made public Chandler moved to make the vote unanimous.

CONCORD--A second ballot for House Minority Leader showed basically the same result as the first with state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) is still leading his opponents for House Republican leader, but still without the majority he needs to win. The caucus will now head to a third ballot.

Packard got 68 votes, state Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) got 52 votes, state Rep. Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton) received 28 votes and state Rep. John Reagan (R-Deerfield) got 12 votes and one person wrote in the name Scamman but did not specify whether it was for Doug Scamman or his wife Stella Scamman.

State Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) is preparing for tonight's vote for House Republican leader by working in his yard.

Chandler is running for the post against state Reps. Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton), John Reagan (R-Deerfield) and Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry).

"I'm busy working in the yard getting ready for the snowstorm," Chandler said in an interview with PolitickerNH.com. "There's nothing else I can really do at this point. I've done everything I can do it's all about who turns up for tonight."

State Rep. Peter Batula (R-Merrimack) said that he has still not decided who he is supporting in the House Republican leader race.

"I have not committed to anyone. It is a tough decision for me to make," Batula said.

State Rep. David Welch (R-Kingston) has thrown his support behind state Rep. Gene Chandler's (R-Bartlett) bid for House Republican leader.

"I am supporting Gene Chandler because I have worked with him many times before and found him to be reasonable and fair when dealing with difficult issues," Welch told PolitickerNH.com. "This does not mean that others in the race might not be fair, it is mostly my personal experience with Gene."