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Big Changes, New Faces At N.H. State House Orientation

Josh Rogers for NHPR
Governor Sununu greets Democratic lawmakers going through orientation at the N.H. State House.

Lawmakers new and old new swarmed the New Hampshire State House Tuesday for orientation.

For those new to the State House, orientation week is a time to get one's bearings.

"I want a day up here when there are no committees so I can walk around, and say, 'Oh this is here, and that's there.'"

Credit Josh Rogers for NHPR
Newly-elected state reps Cassandra Levesque and Safiya Wazir at orientation at the statehouse.

For those not so new to Concord, this week is a time to adjust to new realities.

For Governor Chris Sununu, a big change is the GOP's loss of control in Concord. The governor smiled as he greeted the Democrats who will make many of the big decisions for the next two years, and kept his focus on what he says is a positive.

"I'm happy to not be introduced as the youngest governor anymore," he said. "I think I've earned my stripes."

Others, like Democrat Jackie Chretien, who will represent Manchester in the House, were eager to start making their mark.

"As a mom, as a person with a science background, as a young woman, I've always been saying we need more people who look like me in office," she said.

The new legislature will be sworn in next week.

I cover campaigns, elections, and government for NHPR. Stories that attract me often explore New Hampshire’s highly participatory political culture. I am interested in how ideologies – doctrinal and applied – shape our politics. I like to learn how voters make their decisions and explore how candidates and campaigns work to persuade them.
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