Shawn Jasper
{{Short description|American politician (born 1959)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Shawn Jasper
| image = New Hampshire House Speaker Shawn Jasper - 2016 (cropped).jpg
| office1 = Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food
| term_start1 = December 11, 2017
| term_end1 =
| governor1 = Chris Sununu
| predecessor1 = Lorraine Merrill
| successor1 =
| office2 = Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
| deputy2 = Gene Chandler
| term_start2 = December 3, 2014
| predecessor2 = Terie Norelli
| successor2 = Gene Chandler
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|1|23}}
| birth_place = Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| spouse = Laurie
| children = Sarah
| alma_mater = University of New Hampshire
| caption = Jasper in 2016
}}
Shawn N. Jasper (born January 23, 1959) is an American politician from the state of New Hampshire. A member of the Republican Party, he serves as the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food, and is a former Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Biography
Jasper graduated from Alvirne High School in Hudson, New Hampshire, in 1977. He received an associate degree in business administration from the University of New Hampshire. He has served as advisor to the Alpha Gamma Rho Omega Chapter, of the University of New Hampshire since 1986. He was elected to the New Hampshire House in 1984, and served one two-year term.https://nh.electionstats.com/elections/view/72032/ He was elected again in 1988, and served through 1994.https://nh.electionstats.com/candidates/view/Shawn-N-Jasper He was elected to the state House again in 2002.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=958964{{cite web|url=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/livingtravel/951822-224/shawn-n.-jasper-hudson-board-of-selectmen.html|title=Shawn N. Jasper, Hudson Board of Selectmen candidate|work=Nashua Telegraph|accessdate=December 5, 2014}} He also served for 16 years on the Hudson Board of Selectmen, but lost his bid for reelection in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/953436-196/in-a-shocker-jasper-goes-down-in.html|title=Hudson voters deny Jasper's selectmen's chair|work=Nashua Telegraph|accessdate=December 5, 2014}}
In the 2014 elections, Jasper was reelected to his 11th term in the New Hampshire House. Republicans retook the majority in the New Hampshire House from the Democratic Party in the 2014 election. After the election, William L. O'Brien, the former Republican Speaker of the House, ran for Speaker against Democrat Steve Shurtleff. Enough Republicans voted for Shurtleff on the first ballot that O'Brien did not receive the majority. Shurtleff then dropped out of the race, and Jasper entered. On the third ballot, Jasper received the majority of all ballots cast, defeating O'Brien with the majority of Democratic members and some Republicans voting for him.{{cite web|url=http://www.wmur.com/politics/in-upset-jasper-elected-speaker-of-nh-house/30044540|title=In upset, Jasper elected speaker of NH House|author=Adam Sexton|work=wmur|date=December 4, 2014|accessdate=December 5, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.concordmonitor.com/news/politics/14648182-95/updated-republican-shawn-jasper-falls-one-vote-short-of-becoming-next-house-speaker-third|title=In marathon session, Republican Shawn Jasper edges out Bill O'Brien to be next House Speaker|work=Concord Monitor|author=ALLIE MORRIS|date=December 3, 2014|accessdate=December 3, 2014}}
In October 2017, Governor Chris Sununu nominated Jasper to lead the state's agriculture department.{{cite news |url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/House-Speaker-Shawn-Jasper-nominated-Commissioner-of-Agriculture-13071340 |title=Sununu nominates Jasper for N.H. agriculture commissioner |first=Ethan |last=DeWitt |website=Concord Monitor |date=October 12, 2017}} Jasper has led the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food since December 11, 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/divisions/commissioner/commissioner.htm |title=About the Commissioner |website=NH.gov |accessdate=February 19, 2022}}
References
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External links
{{CongLinks|votesmart=42817}}
{{U.S. Agriculture Commissioners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jasper, Shawn}}
Category:Politicians from Nashua, New Hampshire
Category:Speakers of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
Category:Republican Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
Category:University of New Hampshire alumni
Category:State agriculture commissioners in the United States
Category:21st-century members of the New Hampshire General Court