NH Primary Source: NH House Republican majority caucus nominates Packard for Speaker Caucus meets remotely to make its choice of successor to the late Dick Hinch; final House vote Jan. 6 Share Updated: 1:50 PM EST Dec 18, 2020 NH Primary Source: NH House Republican majority caucus nominates Packard for Speaker Caucus meets remotely to make its choice of successor to the late Dick Hinch; final House vote Jan. 6 Share Updated: 1:50 PM EST Dec 18, 2020 Hide Transcript Show Transcript THE PANDEMIC. ADAM: REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN PACKARD HAS SERVED IN THE NE HAMPSHIRE HOUSE FOR THREE DECADES, AND HE IS NOW THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE TO SUCCEED THE LATE SPEAKER, DICK HINCH, WHO DIED SUDDENLY OF COVID-19 LAST WEE REP. PACKARD: I MEAN, HE WAS JUST SUCH A HUMBLE, HONE PERSON, AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TRY AND THINK LIKE HE WOULD HAVE DONE. ADAM: BEFORE HIS PASSING, IT HAD BEEN SPEAKER HINCH’S STATED GOAL TO RETURN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO IN-PERSON LEGISLATING AND COMMITTEE WORK PACKARD ISN’T CHANGING TACK, BUT HE IS LOOKING AT A MORE EXTENDED TIMELINE. REP. PACKARD: THE MAJORITY OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS WANTS SOMEHOW GET BACK TO MEETING IN PERSON. IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE 6TH, BUT I’M LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD INTO FEBRUARY AND MARCH. ADAM: WITH THE LOSS OF HINCH, AND WITH SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE KIM RICE FIGHTING THROUGH HER OWN NASTY CASE OF COVID-19, PACKARD APPEARS TO BE EXERCISING MORE CAUTIO TODAY’S GOP CAUCUS TOOK PLACE OVER ZOOM, AND THE NEXT HOUSE SESSION IN JANUARY COULD BE DONE DRIVE-IN STYLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE VIRUS AT BA REPUBLICAN STATE REP WILLIAM MARSH, A DOCTOR, BELIEVES IT’S A GOOD SIG REP. MARSH: WELL, I’VE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR OPENING THE LEGISLATURE. I THINK THEY ARE SENSIBLE. I THINK HE’S NOT GOING TO PUT US AT RISK. ADAM: MARSH DREW NATIONAL HEADLINES RECENTLY FOR CALLI ANTI-MASK REPUBLICANS, QUOTE, "RESPONSIBLE FOR SPEAKER HINCH’S DEATH. HE SAYS THERE IS STILL A "TOXIC PEER PRESSURE" IN THE GOP TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO IN-PERSON LEGISLATIVE WORK. REP. MARSH: I’M AFRAID AS THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, THAT CAN HAVE ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES, AND IN THIS CASE IT DID. ADAM: THE NE HAMPSHIRE SUPREME COURT HAS OKAYED LEGISLATIVE SESSION VIA ZOOM OR ANOTHER DIGITAL