House Republicans

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.

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.

The House Republicans elected Karen Wadsworth to be the House Clerk and Walter Sword to be the sergeant-at-arms.

Wadsworth defeated Eric Fowler 120 to 26. While Sword defeated Steve Winter 77 to 46.

In addition to being selected the House Republican leader state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) has also been nominated to be the Republican nominee for House Speaker.

Packard defeated state Rep. Robert Rowe (R-Amherst) by 86 votes to 65 votes. President George W. Bush and state Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) both received one vote.

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-- Minutes before the third ballot is scheduled to take place state Reps. John Reagan (R-Deerfield) and Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton) have withdrawn from the House Republican leader race, setting up a possible tie on the third ballot.

Wendelboe is threw her support behind state Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlettt) and Reagan is supporting state Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry). If all votes stay true to the commitments they made on the second ballot it could result in an 80-80 tie.

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.

CONCORD-- State Rep. Sherm Packard (R-Londonderry) won the first ballot in the race for House Republican Leader, but since he failed to get a 50 percent majority the voting continues.

Packard received 61 votes, state Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) got 46 votes, state Rep. Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton) took in 39 votes and state Rep. John Reagan got support from 15 members.

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."