Dick Hinch

Richard W. Hinch (May 1, 1949 – December 9, 2020) was an American politician. A Republican, he was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 2008 until his death in 2020. He was speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives for one week before he died from COVID-19.

Dick Hinch
Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office
December 2, 2020 – December 9, 2020
DeputySherman Packard
Preceded bySteve Shurtleff
Succeeded bySherman Packard
Minority Leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office
December 5, 2018 – December 2, 2020
DeputySherman Packard
Preceded bySteve Shurtleff
Succeeded byRenny Cushing
Majority Leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office
November 5, 2015 – December 5, 2018
Preceded byJack Flanagan
Succeeded byDouglas Ley
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
from the Hillsborough 21st district
In office
December 2008 – December 9, 2020
Preceded byRichard Barry
Maureen Mooney
Succeeded byWilliam Boyd III
Personal details
Born(1949-05-01)May 1, 1949
Marblehead, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedDecember 9, 2020(2020-12-09) (aged 71)
Merrimack, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Children2
EducationSalem State University (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1968–1972

Early life and education

Hinch was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and served in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1972. He graduated from Marblehead High School and Salem State University.[1]

Career

Hinch was involved in the real estate business in Merrimack, New Hampshire. He was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, in 2008, representing the Hillsborough 21 district.[2][3] From 2015 to 2018, he served as the majority leader of the House, and from 2018 to 2020, he served as minority leader.

Hinch opposed paid family leave legislation in 2019.[4] He supported school choice legislation that would give parents $3,000 for either private school tuition or homeschooling.[5]

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Hinch supported Republican representatives who refused to wear face coverings on the House floor, referring to this faction as the "patriot section" and "freedom group."[6] On November 20, 2020, Republican House members gathered at McIntyre Ski Area, where they nominated Hinch to become the next House speaker.[7] (In the 2020 election, Hinch won election to a seventh two-year term, and Republicans regained control of the state legislature, taking majorities in both chambers from the Democrats.[8]) The indoor meeting was followed by an outbreak of COVID-19 among Republican lawmakers.[6] Several of them tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after the conference and before the opening session of New Hampshire's legislature.[7] The outbreak caused a controversy, as Democratic state lawmakers said that they were not informed of the outbreak, while Republicans were informed.[6] Hinch publicly downplayed the outbreak,[6] saying that only a "small number" were infected.[7]

On December 2, 2020, Hinch was formally elected and sworn in as speaker at an outside gathering on the University of New Hampshire campus.[8][9]

Death

Hinch died from COVID-19 at his home on December 9, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Hampshire. He was 71.[10][11]

It was unclear how Hinch acquired the virus,[6] but Republican state Representative William M. Marsh blamed the death of his colleague on "peer pressure" from a group of Republican legislators in New Hampshire who refused to follow public health guidelines to prevent the virus's spread, such as social distancing and wearing face coverings. Hinch was succeeded as speaker by his deputy, Sherman Packard.[6][8]

References
  1. "Richard Hinch Obituary (1949 - 2020)". Concord Monitor. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020 – via Legacy.com.
  2. "Welcome to the NH General Court". www.gencourt.state.nh.us. New Hampshire General Court. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  3. "Richard Hinch's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  4. Ramer, Holly (May 9, 2019). "As expected, Sununu vetoes paid family leave bill". Associated Press.
  5. Ramer, Holly (May 1, 2018). "School choice advocates press for passage of bill". Associated Press.
  6. Wright, Will; Tompkins, Lucy (December 10, 2020). "Covid-19 caused the sudden death of a top state lawmaker in New Hampshire". The New York Times.
  7. Ramer, Holly (December 1, 2020). "GOP lawmakers test positive for virus before opening session". Associated Press News.
  8. Casey, Michael (December 10, 2020). "Exposure feared after New Hampshire speaker dies of COVID-19". Associated Press News.
  9. Barrick, Dan; Bookman, Todd; Rogers, Josh. "Newly Sworn-In GOP N.H. House Speaker Dies Of COVID-19, Autopsy Shows". NPR. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  10. "New Hampshire House Speaker Dick Hinch dies". The Laconia Daily Sun. December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  11. "N.H. House Speaker Dick Hinch Dies". New Hampshire Public Radio. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
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