Judd Gregg

Judd Gregg
Judd Gregg
Born	Judd Alan Gregg; February 14, 1947 (age 79); Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Lawyer, politician
Years active	1979–present
Known for	76th Governor of New Hampshire; U.S. Senator from New Hampshire (1993–2011)

Judd Alan Gregg (born February 14, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician who held the position of the 76th governor of New Hampshire from 1989 to 1993 and later represented New Hampshire as a United States senator from 1993 until 2011. Throughout his Senate career, he led both the Health Committee and the Budget Committee. A member of the Republican Party, Gregg previously practiced law and engaged in business activities in Nashua. He currently serves as chair of the Public Advisory Board at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College.

President Barack Obama nominated Gregg for the role of Secretary of Commerce, but he withdrew his candidacy in February 2009. Opting not to run for another Senate term in 2010, he was succeeded by Republican former State Attorney General Kelly Ayotte.

On May 27, 2011, Gregg joined Goldman Sachs as an international advisor. In May 2013, he assumed the position of CEO at the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, a prominent lobbying organization on Wall Street, before resigning in December 2013 to take on a senior advisory role.

During the 2016 presidential election cycle, Gregg initially supported former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and after Bush ended his campaign, he shifted his endorsement to Ohio Governor John Kasich. For the Republican presidential primary in 2024, he has endorsed Nikki Haley.

Early life

Gregg was born in Nashua, New Hampshire to parents Catherine Gregg (née Warner) and former Governor Hugh Gregg, who served from 1953 to 1955. He completed his secondary education at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1965, earned a baccalaureate degree from Columbia University in 1969, and later received a Juris Doctor in 1972 followed by a Master of Laws in 1975 from Boston University School of Law.

Early political career

Gregg began his political journey as a member of the Executive Council of New Hampshire from 1979 to 1981. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1980 and secured reelection in 1982, 1984, and 1986.

In 1988, he chose not to seek another term in the House and instead ran for Governor of New Hampshire, winning that election as well as reelection in 1990. Both New Hampshire and Vermont elect governors for two-year terms. During his governorship, Gregg achieved a balanced state budget and left office in 1993 with a $21 million surplus. Nevertheless, his administration faced criticism related to sluggish economic performance and controversy over his Vietnam War draft deferments.

Elections

In the 1992 election, Gregg campaigned for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by two-term Republican senator Warren Rudman. He triumphed over Democrat John Rauh and commenced his Senate service in 1993. He successfully defended his seat in the 1998 election against George Condodemetraky and secured a third term in the 2004 election, defeating campaign finance reform advocate Doris "Granny D" Haddock by a margin of 66% to 34%.

Following his withdrawal from consideration for Secretary of Commerce during the Obama administration on February 12, 2009, Gregg suggested he would likely not pursue reelection to the Senate in 2010.

Leadership

In January 2005, Gregg was chosen by the Senate Republican Conference to serve as chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Budget, where he consistently promoted policies aimed at reducing government expenditures.

On November 14, 2008, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appointed Gregg to the five-member Congressional Oversight Panel responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. However, due to increasing demands from Senate duties—including fiscal policy oversight, budget formulation, and foreign operations appropriations amid economic difficulties—he resigned from the panel on December 1.

Platform

Judd Gregg identifies as a fiscally conservative yet socially moderate Republican. The impartial National Journal assigned him a rating of 65% conservative and 35% liberal.

The group Republicans for Environmental Protection criticized Gregg for sponsoring the 2006 S.C. Resolution 83, which they argued sought to mandate oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, potentially escalating U.S. reliance on oil imports and damaging the protected area. Conversely, they commended him and John E. Sununu for their contributions to passing the New England Wilderness Act, which safeguarded nearly of wilderness across New Hampshire and Vermont. In 2006, Gregg received a 43% rating from the League of Conservation Voters.

The University of New Hampshire honored him by naming its Environmental Technology Building Gregg Hall, acknowledging his success in securing $266 million in federal research and development funding for the institution. The Judd Gregg Meteorology Institute at Plymouth State University, which offers New Hampshire’s sole meteorology degree program, was established in 2003 with his support. Additionally, he was instrumental in founding the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in 1999.

In 2007, Gregg cast votes in favor of both the Clean Energy Act (H.R. 6) and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1639).

By October 2009, Gregg expressed concern that escalating Congressional debt levels might push the United States toward a financial crisis reminiscent of a "banana republic."

Regarding social issues, Gregg’s record is moderate. In June 2006, he was among six Republicans who opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment. He supported the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in April 2007 but has maintained a firm anti-abortion position. His stance on gun control is varied: he opposed the Brady Bill, yet backed measures such as trigger lock requirements and a ban on assault weapons.

On December 17, 2009, Gregg voted to renew Chairman Ben Bernanke's term.

Presidential politics

During the 2004 election cycle, Gregg acted as a stand-in for John Kerry during President George W. Bush’s debate preparation sessions. Four years prior, he had similarly portrayed Al Gore for debate rehearsals.

On October 29, 2007, Gregg publicly endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.

Although he has not dismissed the possibility of running for president after his Senate tenure, he characterized such a bid as "not likely."

The Spanish Judicial System and Guantanamo Bay

In April 2009, Senator Gregg joined an American diplomat in meeting with Spanish official Luis Felipe Fernández de la Peña regarding a war crimes lawsuit initiated by the Spanish NGO Association for the Dignity of Spanish Prisoners at Spain’s Audiencia Nacional. The lawsuit accused six former U.S. officials of offenses connected to Iraq and the Guantanamo Bay facility. Allegations included breaches of the Geneva Convention, the 1984 Convention Against Torture, and the 1998 Rome Statute. The individuals charged were: Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, William Haynes, Douglas Feith, Jay Bybee, and John Yoo.

Controversies

Within the Senate, Gregg served as the principal Republican negotiator and drafter of the TARP, which provided financial bailouts to banking institutions, while simultaneously holding substantial investments in Bank of America. After his Senate tenure, he took on an advisory role at investment bank Goldman Sachs.

In February 2009, the Associated Press disclosed that Gregg and his family benefited financially from federal earmarks he secured for converting the Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth, New Hampshire into an industrial complex. Senate documentation indicated Gregg’s earnings from Pease-related investments ranged between $240,017 and $651,801 during his efforts to obtain at least $66 million in federal funding for the base. Gregg refuted any misconduct and clarified that his decision to withdraw from consideration for Commerce Secretary was unrelated to the vetting process uncovering his family’s real estate interests. He remarked, "I've throughout my entire lifetime been involved in my family's businesses and that's just the way our family works."

As a participant on President Barack Obama’s deficit commission, Gregg advocated for Social Security reductions by citing Willie Sutton’s explanation for bank robberies: "because that's where the money is."

Commerce Secretary Nomination and Subsequent Withdrawal

On February 2, 2009, Politico and CNN announced that Gregg had accepted President Obama’s nomination to serve as the next United States Secretary of Commerce. Confirmation by the Senate would have required Gregg to resign his Senate seat, which would then be filled by an appointment from Democratic John Lynch. Reports suggested that Gregg’s former chief of staff, Republican Bonnie Newman, was a likely successor. The Washington Post noted that Gregg’s acceptance appeared contingent upon Lynch appointing a Republican interim replacement. In February 2009, media outlets highlighted that Gregg had voted in 1995 to dismantle the United States Department of Commerce. Although supportive of President Obama’s stimulus plan, Gregg indicated he would abstain from voting on it.

Concerns emerged when reports indicated the Obama Administration intended to transfer control of the United States Census Bureau away from Commerce, prompting Republican leaders to urge either granting Gregg oversight of the census or withdrawing his nomination. On February 12, 2009, Gregg officially withdrew his candidacy, citing differences over census administration and disagreements regarding the stimulus legislation. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained that while Gregg initially pledged support for Obama’s economic initiatives, he later retracted backing for key priorities, resulting in their separation.

Following his withdrawal, Gregg accepted responsibility for stepping aside and told the AP that after years of independent decision-making, adapting to working under another leader's direction proved challenging.

In February 2009, it was reported by the Associated Press that Gregg and his family profited from federal earmarks he helped secure for redeveloping Pease Air Force Base into an industrial park. Senate records revealed earnings between $240,017 and $651,801 from Pease-related investments concurrent with facilitating at least $66 million in federal funding for the site. Gregg maintained that his withdrawal was not connected to disclosures about his family’s property holdings uncovered during background checks.

Personal life

Gregg practices the Congregationalist faith and is married to Kathleen MacLellan Gregg. The couple has three children: two daughters named Molly and Sarah, along with a son, Joshua.

In 2005, Gregg won a prize exceeding $850,000 from the D.C. Lottery after purchasing $20 worth of Powerball tickets at a convenience store located in Washington, D.C..

External links

|-