Updated: Gov. Hassan to resign as governor effective Jan. 3 before taking office as US Senator
NH Senate President Morse to briefly serve as acting governor before Sununu swearing in
Updated: 12:30 PM EST Dec 14, 2016
John DiStaso
Political Reporter
Gov. Maggie Hassan announced on Wednesday that she will resign as governor at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, about 12 hours before taking the oath of office as a U.S. Senator on Capitol Hill at mid-day on Jan. 3. Hassan's announcement said the move will "maximize" her seniority in the Senate. The resignation means that New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse, R-Salem, will be acting governor from midnight on Jan. 3 until Gov.-elect Chris Sununu takes the oath of office as governor on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 5, at the State House. If Hassan had waited until her term as governor formally ended on Jan. 5, she would have lost seniority among the freshmen senators. She will be one of five freshman Democrats and seven freshmen senators in all in the 115th Congress. Hassan receives some measure of seniority for her service as governor, and as it stands, she is third in seniority among the new Democrats. If she had waited until Jan. 5 to be sworn in as a senator, she would have slipped to fifth among the Democrats. For more information on how seniority is determined in the Senate, click here. Seniority, even among freshmen, is important because it is a factor in determining committee assignments, which have not yet been doled out in the Senate for the next Congress. Hassan said she is following the precedent set by Republican former Gov. Judd Gregg after he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. He resigned as governor before Gov.-elect Steve Merrill took office, making then-state Senate President Ralph Hough of Lebanon acting governor in the brief interim. In late 1982, then-Senate President Vesta Roy, a Republican, served as acting governor when then-Gov. Hugh Gallen, a Democrat, was hospitalized after losing a re-election bid to Republican John H. Sununu. When Gallen died on Dec. 29, 1982, Roy became governor, serving until Sununu was sworn in as governor on Jan. 6, 1983. Roy continued as Senate president until 1986. She was a resident of Salem, the same home town as Morse. In 1980, after Republican Warren Rudman defeated Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. John Durkin, Durkin resigned several days early and Rudman was appointed as a U.S. Senator by the governor, allowing Rudman a measure of seniority ahead of other members of his freshman class. Hassan, meanwhile, said in a statement "Serving as governor has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I am profoundly grateful that the people of New Hampshire entrusted me with this important responsibility for two terms." "I am also deeply grateful to the people of New Hampshire for the great trust that you have once again bestowed upon me to represent you in the United States Senate, and I will work every day to honor it, building on the bipartisan progress that we have made in New Hampshire to expand middle class opportunity, support job-creating businesses and ensure that every Granite Stater who works hard can get ahead and stay ahead." "This decision was not made lightly," Hassan said, "but following historical precedent is the best course to protect New Hampshire's interests in the United States Senate. "I have informed legislative leadership from both parties and Gov.-elect Sununu of my intentions, and my office will continue working with them to ensure a smooth transition."
CONCORD, N.H. —
Gov. Maggie Hassan announced on Wednesday that she will resign as governor at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, about 12 hours before taking the oath of office as a U.S. Senator on Capitol Hill at mid-day on Jan. 3.
Hassan's announcement said the move will "maximize" her seniority in the Senate. The resignation means that New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse, R-Salem, will be acting governor from midnight on Jan. 3 until Gov.-elect Chris Sununu takes the oath of office as governor on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 5, at the State House.
Hassan assigned to US Senate homeland security, health-education committees
If Hassan had waited until her term as governor formally ended on Jan. 5, she would have lost seniority among the freshmen senators.
She will be one of five freshman Democrats and seven freshmen senators in all in the 115th Congress. Hassan receives some measure of seniority for her service as governor, and as it stands, she is third in seniority among the new Democrats.
If she had waited until Jan. 5 to be sworn in as a senator, she would have slipped to fifth among the Democrats. For more information on how seniority is determined in the Senate, click here.
Seniority, even among freshmen, is important because it is a factor in determining committee assignments, which have not yet been doled out in the Senate for the next Congress.
Hassan said she is following the precedent set by Republican former Gov. Judd Gregg after he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. He resigned as governor before Gov.-elect Steve Merrill took office, making then-state Senate President Ralph Hough of Lebanon acting governor in the brief interim.
In late 1982, then-Senate President Vesta Roy, a Republican, served as acting governor when then-Gov. Hugh Gallen, a Democrat, was hospitalized after losing a re-election bid to Republican John H. Sununu. When Gallen died on Dec. 29, 1982, Roy became governor, serving until Sununu was sworn in as governor on Jan. 6, 1983. Roy continued as Senate president until 1986.
She was a resident of Salem, the same home town as Morse.
In 1980, after Republican Warren Rudman defeated Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. John Durkin, Durkin resigned several days early and Rudman was appointed as a U.S. Senator by the governor, allowing Rudman a measure of seniority ahead of other members of his freshman class.
Hassan, meanwhile, said in a statement "Serving as governor has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I am profoundly grateful that the people of New Hampshire entrusted me with this important responsibility for two terms."
"I am also deeply grateful to the people of New Hampshire for the great trust that you have once again bestowed upon me to represent you in the United States Senate, and I will work every day to honor it, building on the bipartisan progress that we have made in New Hampshire to expand middle class opportunity, support job-creating businesses and ensure that every Granite Stater who works hard can get ahead and stay ahead."
"This decision was not made lightly," Hassan said, "but following historical precedent is the best course to protect New Hampshire's interests in the United States Senate. "I have informed legislative leadership from both parties and Gov.-elect Sununu of my intentions, and my office will continue working with them to ensure a smooth transition."