CRNH: Jeb Bradley 12-10-20

Longtime State Rep Dick Hinch passes away one week after being sworn in as Speaker of the House.

In an interview with WKXL’s Chris Ryan, the Majority Leader of the New Hampshire State Senate, Jeb Bradley comments on the death of Dick Hinch, the Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. The Speaker was 71 years old and passed away last night at his home in Merrimack, NH.

New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon McDonald revealed this afternoon that COVID-19 was the cause of death.

Senator Bradley gives tribute to Dick Hinch’s affable, humble personality and his dedication to public service on local and state levels. Dick Hinch served as a State Rep for 14 years and was elevated to Speaker only a week ago. Jeb Bradley’s reflection was, “I think it fulfilled a lifelong dream. He would have been a great speaker too. . .It’s not just obtaining the gavel. It’s being able to effectively and fairly run a 400 member institution of people who are all volunteers with some unbelievable personalities.”

The final segment of the interview deals with a recent outbreak of COVID-19 at the New Hampshire Veteran’s Home. Senator Bradley attributes the general increase in cases to COVID fatigue. After eight months of disruption, people let their guards down and had family gatherings over Thanksgiving. The Senator is hopeful that a large scale vaccination program combined with a continuation of maintaining social distancing and other safeguards will bring a return to normal.