CLAREMONT — Three incumbents, two Democrats and one Republican, were reelected to the N.H. House Tuesday while the fourth incumbent for the three seats representing Claremont and Croydon in Sullivan 6 House district lost.
With 2,240 votes, John Cloutier, D-Claremont, was elected to his 16th two-year term. Gary Merchant, D-Claremont, earned 2,108 votes for reelection and Walt Stapleton, R-Claremont, earned 2,081 to beat out incumbent Andrew O’Hearne, D-Claremont, who earned 2,032 votes and Claremont Republicans Jerermy Herrell, 1,939 votes, and Sean McCarthy, 1,954 votes, in Tuesday’s election.
O’Hearne held a 75-vote lead in Claremont after beating Stapleton in Claremont Ward I, 753-707; and Ward II, 532-450; and losing in Ward III, 648-594. Stapleton won handily in Croydon over O’Hearne, 252-128, for a 49-vote victory.
Cloutier, with 2,099 votes, and Merchant, with 1,976 votes, received the most support in Claremont.
Merchant and Stapleton will be serving their third terms.