Some NH Lawmakers Break with Party—Even from Safe Seats

Concord, NH — A new analysis of roll call votes in the New Hampshire House of Representatives reveals that a small number of lawmakers regularly vote against the majority position of their own party, even on the most straightforward partisan issues. While such independence is not uncommon in closely divided districts, what stands out in this data is how often these breakaway votes come from representatives who hold politically safe seats.

The review examined roll call votes from the 2025 legislative session where more than 200 representatives participated and a majority—defined as more than 50%—of a party’s caucus voted the same way. These votes reflect the routine legislative business where caucuses tend to be unified. The analysis then calculated how often each lawmaker voted with the majority of their party during these instances, resulting in a “party unity score.”

Most House members voted with their party more than 90% of the time. However, a small group diverged significantly, with unity scores falling below 80%, and in some cases, even below 60%.

Among Democrats, the lowest party unity score came from Rep. Dale Girard of Claremont, who sided with the Democratic majority just 54.7% of the time. Close behind was Rep. Jonah Wheeler of Peterborough, with a party unity score of 74.4%. Wheeler’s frequent departures from party consensus are particularly notable given that he represents a heavily Democratic district and won his most recent election by a wide margin.

Likewise, on the Republican side, the lowest score belonged to Rep. David Nagel of Gilmanton, who voted with the GOP majority just 59.9% of the time. Nagel, like Wheeler, faced little competition in the general election and defeated his Democratic opponent comfortably.

The willingness of lawmakers in safe seats to frequently vote against their party line is surprising to some observers. Typically, legislators with a firm partisan base are expected to be reliable members of their caucus—particularly on votes where the party has established a clear position. In many cases, they are even expected to help carry the message and reinforce legislative discipline.

“Safe seats usually mean more freedom to lead on party priorities, not less,” one legislative strategist noted. “When members from these districts break ranks repeatedly, it raises eyebrows.”

Also among the Republicans with low unity scores were Rep. Nicholas Bridle of Hampton (67.9%) and Rep. Matthew Coker of Meredith (70.7%). On the Democratic side, Rep. Jennifer Mandelbaum of Portsmouth and Newington held the third-lowest score at 80.0%.

Breaking from the party majority can reflect a range of factors, including ideological differences, constituency preferences, or specific objections to how legislation is written. But frequent departures also come with risks. Lawmakers who do not consistently support their party on key votes may find themselves sidelined in internal negotiations.

In a chamber where many policy debates are settled by narrow margins, maintaining unity is often critical to advancing a party’s legislative agenda. Even a small number of dissenters can upend carefully laid plans—particularly in committees or on contentious floor votes.

Still, the data shows that such behavior remains the exception, not the rule. The overwhelming majority of lawmakers—on both sides of the aisle—voted with their party the vast majority of the time. The median party unity score exceeded 95%, reflecting clear partisan alignment on major issues, including tax policy, housing, energy, and education.

2025 Party Voting.csv

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