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Tony Labranche

Tony Labranche (born November 11, 2001) is a New Hampshire politician. He was the youngest member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives[2] and the youngest openly LGBTQ+ legislator in United States history.[3]

Tony Labranche
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
from the Hillsborough 22nd district
In office
December 3, 2020 – August 8, 2022
Personal details
Born (2001-11-11) November 11, 2001 (age 22)
Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (until 2022, 2024–present)
Other political
affiliations
Residence(s)Amherst, New Hampshire, U.S.
WebsiteCampaign website

Early life

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Tony Labranche was born in Nashua, New Hampshire on November 11, 2001, to parents Patrick Labranche and Sandra Martin. Both of whom are originally from Thetford Mines, Québec where the majority of his family still lives today.[4] Labranche was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer at age ten.[5] In 2014, Labranche moved to Amherst, New Hampshire.[6]

Education

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Labranche graduated from Souhegan High School in early 2020.[7][8] Labranche currently attends Nashua Community College and is majoring in political science.[9][4]

Political career

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In April 2020 Labranche was selected to serve as an alternate delegate for Bernie Sanders at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[10][11] This position gave him a seat on the New Hampshire Democratic Party State Committee.[12]

While finishing his senior year of high school Labranche ran unsuccessfully for the Souhegan Cooperative School Board.[6][5] Labranche then pursued a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Labranche won that bid,[13][14] and took office on December 3, 2020.[7] Labranche served on the State-Federal Relations & Veterans Affairs Committee.[15][2][16]

In 2021 Labranche ran for Rules Committee of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.[17] In the same year Labranche ran again for a seat on the Souhegan Cooperative School Board unsuccessfully.[18]

In 2022 Labranche announced that he would leave the Democratic Party and caucus as an Independent. He cited issues with New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley, Joe Biden's COVID-19 response, and the two-party system as reasons for his departure.[19][20][21]

On August 8, 2022, Labranche resigned from the New Hampshire House of Representatives.[22]

Labranche unsuccessfully ran for Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2022.[23]

On May 20, 2023, Labranche was elected to the Commission de la citoyenneté du Bloc Québécois at the Bloc Québécois party congress.[24]

On January 6, 2024, Labranche was selected as a New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district primary delegate for the Marianne Williamson 2024 presidential campaign.[25] Williamson did not meet the threshold to receive any delegates in New Hampshire.

Political Positions

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Labranche was considered a progressive representative.[12]

Quebec Separatism

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Labranche has repeatedly voiced his support for a free and independent Quebec.[26][27] In May 2022, Labranche gave a speech commemorating Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day by giving a history of Quebec and calling for independence.[28] Labranche is a member of the pro-independence Bloc Quebecois.[24]

Drug Policy

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In 2022, Labranche introduced multiple pieces of legislation to legalize cannabis.[29] In that same year, Labranche also introduced legislation to lower penalties and further decriminalize cannabis.[30]

In 2021, Labranche cosponsored a bill to lower the penalty for personal possession of drugs.[31] In 2022, Labranche introduced legislation to decriminalize the personal possession of psilocybin mushrooms.[32][33][34]

Electoral Reform

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Labranche is a strong proponent of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). In 2022, Labranche introduced and cosponsored many pieces of legislation to implement Ranked Choice Voting.[35][36][37] In the same year, Labranche proposed a constitutional amendment that would make 100 seats of the New Hampshire House of Representatives elected by party list proportional representation.[38] In that same year, Labranche introduced a constitutional amendment that would lower the voting age to 17 to vote in primary elections for those who will be 18 by the general election.[39]

Workers' Rights

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Labranche is a strong proponent of workers' rights. In 2022 Labranche introduced a constitutional amendment that would enshrine the right to join a union in the New Hampshire Constitution.[40] in that same year, Labranche introduced a constitutional amendment that would provide "that all workers have a right to a minimum wage that provides them with well-being and a dignified existence.".[41] Labranche has repeatedly voted in favor of increasing the minimum wage.[42][43] Labranche has consistently spoke against and voted against Right-to-Work legislation.[42]

References

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  1. ^ Labranche, Tony [@tonylabranche] (November 12, 2022). "Très heureux d'être au Conseil Général du @BlocQuebecois et d'avoir rencontré @yfblanchet !" [Very happy to be at the General Council of @BlocQuebecois and to have met @yfblanchet!] (Tweet) (in Canadian French). Granby, Québec. Retrieved September 1, 2024 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b "Representative Tony Labranche (D)". The New Hampshire House of Representatives. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  3. ^ Flores, Andrew; Gossett, Charles. "11 openly LGBTQ lawmakers will take their seats in the next Congress. That's a record in both numbers and diversity". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Fortier, Claudia (November 6, 2020). "L'un des plus jeunes élus aux États-Unis a des racines thetfordoises". Courrier Frontenac (in Canadian French). Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Mackin, Jean (November 5, 2020). "18-year-old from Amherst elected to New Hampshire state house". WMUR. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Labranche, Tony. "Tony Labranche: Who I am and Why I'm Running". The Claw.
  7. ^ a b "Tony Labranche - Hills. District 22". NH General Court.
  8. ^ "Class of 2020" (PDF). The Amherst Citizen. June 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  9. ^ "Tony Labranche, Amherst School Board Candidate". Amherst, NH Patch. May 29, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  10. ^ Sylvia, Andrew (April 28, 2020). "Two Manchester residents selected as DNC Delegates". manchesterinklink.com. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  11. ^ Summerson, Mia. "New Hampshire Democrats elect convention delegates virtually". SentinelSource.com. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Graham, Michael (January 19, 2022). "BREAKING: Two More NH House Dems To Defect From Caucus". NH Journal. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  13. ^ Houghton, Kimberly. "Amherst teen elected to state legislature". UnionLeader.com. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Meet New N.H. Lawmakers: Rep. Tony Labranche From Amherst". New Hampshire Public Radio. November 23, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  15. ^ "Calendar and Journal of the 2021 Session No. 5" (PDF). Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "Tony Labranche". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  17. ^ "2021 Officer Elections". NHDP. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  18. ^ Schinella, Tony (June 9, 2021). "Pray, D'Angelo Win Amherst Selectmen Seats". Amherst, NH Patch. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  19. ^ Labranche, Tony [@tonylabranche] (January 19, 2022). "Today I announce my departure from the @NHDems to caucus as an independent for the remainder of my term. Below is the press release on why I left the party. #NHPolitics #DemExit" (Tweet). Retrieved September 1, 2024 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Graham, Michael (February 18, 2022). "House Dems Try, Fail to Silence Critic During Chaotic House Session". NH Journal. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  21. ^ "'This afternoon I will officially leave the Democratic party to affiliate as an independent' | Manchester Ink Link". January 19, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  22. ^ "RDSE 17-18.pdf" (PDF). New Hampshire General Court. September 11, 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  23. ^ "Updated: Former NH state rep seeks to become NH House Speaker, Wilhelm responds | Manchester Ink Link". manchesterinklink.com. December 3, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  24. ^ a b Congrès du Bloc Québécois 2023 – Résultats de l’élection et du vote de confiance, retrieved February 16, 2024
  25. ^ "District Level Delegate Caucus Results" (PDF). New Hampshire Democratic Party. January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  26. ^ "HOUSE JOURNAL NO. 13" (PDF).
  27. ^ Labranche, Tony [@tonylabranche] (July 1, 2023). "Vive le Québec Libre, Vive le Québec Indépendant!" [Long live Free Quebec, Long live Independent Quebec!] (Tweet) (in Canadian French). Retrieved September 1, 2024 – via Twitter.
  28. ^ Quebec National Day Unanimous Consent Speech (5/26/22), retrieved February 15, 2024
  29. ^ "HB 1468-FN As Introduced".
  30. ^ "HB 1306-FN 2022".
  31. ^ "House Bill 511 text".
  32. ^ "House Bill 1349".
  33. ^ Jaeger, Kyle (December 29, 2021). "New Hampshire Lawmakers File Psilocybin And Broader Drug Decriminalization Bills For 2022". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  34. ^ Steer, Daymond (January 14, 2022). "House bill would decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms". The Conway Daily Sun. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  35. ^ "CACR22 2022 As Introduced".
  36. ^ "HB 1264 - AS INTRODUCED 2022".
  37. ^ "HB 1482-FN - AS INTRODUCED". 2022.
  38. ^ "CACR 26 As Introduced". 2022.
  39. ^ "CACR 15 - AS INTRODUCED". The General Court of New Hampshire. 2022.
  40. ^ "CACR 14". The General Court of New Hampshire. 2022.
  41. ^ "CACR 28 - AS INTRODUCED". The General Court of New Hampshire. 2022.
  42. ^ a b "New Hampshire General Court 2021 Legislator Voting Record". The General Court of New Hampshire.
  43. ^ "New Hampshire General Court 2022 Legislator Voting Record". The General Court of New Hampshire.
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