New Hampshire Republicans threaten impeachment of their own GOP governor over mask mandate

As of Tuesday, seven Republican state lawmakers in New Hampshire have called for GOP Gov. Chris Sununu to face an impeachment investigation for imposing a mask mandate, according to New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley.

The leaders of the New Hampshire Republican Party have condemned the calls from within their own party for impeachment of Sununu.

Sununu is arguably the most right-wing Republican governor in New England, having engaged in sustained attacks on voting rights. However, he has also been critical of outgoing President Donald Trump, and has embraced public health recommendations around COVID-19, sparking fury from Republican activists who oppose economic and public gathering restrictions to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

In 2020, while New Hampshire overwhelmingly voted for Joe Biden and elected Democrats to every federal office, Republicans surprised political observers by regaining control of the state House, Senate, and Executive Council, essentially wiping out the down-ballot gains made by Democrats in the state during the midterm elections, and theoretically granting Sununu blanket control of policy in New Hampshire. However, the immediate opposition to the mask mandate suggests potential friction ahead within the party.