Peter Bragdon

In 2008, Granite Staters saw a presidential candidate cry on television, the defeat of an incumbent United States senator and Democrats become the majority party in a state that was once considered a bedrock of Republicanism.

All of these stories and more help make up PolitickerNH.com's top ten political stories of 2008.

Although 2008 saw the fall of several Republican heavyweights, it also gave birth to a group of Republicans who will shape the party, and New Hampshire, in 2009.

Below you will find a list of the top ten Republicans to watch for in the upcoming year.

State Sen. Peter Bragdon (R-Milford), the Republican leader, has named state Sens. Bob Odell (R-Lempster) and Mike Downing (R-Salem) to be the deputy Republican minority leaders for the upcoming legislative session.

"Senator Downing and Odell are true leaders and they will bring to the table a style of politics that will help us accomplish our goals in the minority," Bragdon said in a press release.  "Senator Odell has years of experience working on the Finance and Ways and Means committees, while Senator Downing brings to the table experience with the retirement issues that will be facing the state in the next two years."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                              Friday, December 5, 2008

Contact: Senator Peter Bragdon

(603) 271-2709

SENATE REPUBLICANS NAME LEADERSHIP TEAM
Bragdon Appoints Odell and Downing to Deputy Positions

CONCORD -- Senate Republican Leader Peter Bragdon today named Senators Robert Odell of Lempster and Michael Downing of Salem as deputy minority leaders.

CONCORD-- The state senate elected state Sen. Sylvia Larsen (D-Concord) for another term as senate president.

Larsen mentioned that the state senate is the first legislative body in the country to be majority female.

BIA

State legislators honored by BIA

CONCORD-Before Organization Day began, the Business and Industry Association gave awards to five state legislators they say supported the state's business community during the 2008 legislative session.

State Reps. Pam Price (R-Nashua) and David Hess (R-Hooksett) were awarded the BIA's Friend of Business Award along with state Sens. Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester), Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) and Betsi DeVries (D-Manchester).

Senate Republican Leader Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) has announced that two people with deep roots in the state Senate will fill two key staff positions.

Angela Spradling, currently the legislative aide, is being promoted to become the minority caucus director. Kristy Roney, a former aide to the senate finance committee, will become the minority policy director.

To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here.

Newly elected Republican Senate Leader, state Sen. Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) said that he will attempt to work with Gov. John Lynch (D-Hopkinton) on the budget and will also build a consensus within the senate Republican caucus on policy issues and issues surrounding the senate Republican PAC.

Bragdon was elected in a surprise vote to become Senate Republican Leader. Bragdon's election ousted state Sen. Ted Gatsas (R-Manchester) who was the Republican leader in the last legislative session and was expected to continue serving as the Republican leader.

"Clearly there's a lot of things that needs to be done within the Republican Party nationally as well as statewide and as well as in the Senate, so we've got our work cut out for us," Bragdon said in an interview with PolitickerNH.com. "I think the folks that have worked with me realize that I can help bring some people together and build a consensus."