NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
CONCORD, New Hampshire – After nearly a half a century in office, the official most responsible for protecting New Hampshire’s lead off presidential primary position, and the longest serving Secretary of State in the nation, is calling it quits.
“In the coming days I will be stepping down,” New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner announced on Monday.
The 73-year-old Gardner was first elected to the post in 1976, and the former Democratic state representative has been reelected every two years by both Democratic and Republican controlled state legislatures.
FOX NEWS TAKES A LOOK AT THE BIGGEST CAMPAIGN QUESTIONS OF 2022
One of Gardner’s top tasks has been making sure New Hampshire maintains its century-old position as the first state to hold a primary in the presidential nominating calendar. It’s been a quadrennial fight for Gardner for over four decades – but it’s a battle he’s never lost.
As dictated by state law, New Hampshire must hold its primary “7 days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election.”
And Gardner, as Secretary of State, has been the New Hampshire primary’s chief guardian – which has led him a few times over the years to move up the date of the primary to ward off threats from other states.
New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, seen in his office at the Statehouse in Concord, N.H. in Nov. 2018. Gardner, the longest serving Secretary of State in the nation, on Jan. 3, 2022 announced that he would be stepping down. (Fox News)
Gardner enjoyed bipartisan backing for decades, but his support in recent years for bills passed by GOP controlled legislatures and signed into law by Republican Gov. Chris Sununu that tightened voting access rules in New Hampshire angered many Democrats.
Gardner faced his most difficult reelection in 2018, winning another two-year term by narrowly defeating on the second ballot former Democratic executive councilor and gubernatorial nominee Colin Van Ostern. He was unopposed two years later as he won his final reelection.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
In recent months, Gardner’s spoken out in opposition to the push by President Biden and House and Senate Democrats – including New Hampshire’s all-Democratic congressional delegation – to pass a sweeping election reform bill that would give the federal government more say in how states conduct their federal elections.
Garnder has argued that if the bill became law, it could potentially threaten New Hampshire’s status as the first presidential primary state.
Sununu, in a statement, emphasized that “for decades, Bill Gardner has fiercely protected New Hampshire’s First-in-the-Nation presidential primary and overseen our elections that are truly a point of pride for our state — always open, fair, accessible and accurate.”
And Donna Soucy, the state Senate Democratic leader, noted that Gardner “has helped shape New Hampshire’s nationwide reputation for the unparalleled integrity and security of our elections.”
Spotlighting his passion protect his state’s primary position and its electoral reputation, Garnder said “I love telling the New Hampshire story.”
New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner and deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan inspect ballots during an election recount, in Concord, New Hampshire in 2018. (Fox News)
Gardner announced that deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan, his longtime assistant, would be succeeding him.
He noted that “arrangements have been made for the constitutional deputy Dave Scanlan to take the oath of office.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Gardner said that health concerns were not behind his decision. But he noted that the time was right to step down, adding “it’s just time.”
“I will be forever grateful for the adventure of serving the people of our state in our State House,” Gardner said. “I know the office which I leave will be in good hands.”
