Jonah Orion Wheeler | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from Hillsborough District 33 | |
| Assumed office December 7, 2022 Servingwith Peter Leishman | |
| Preceded by | Ivy Vann (redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jonah Wheeler March 1,2003 Peterborough,New Hampshire,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | ConVal Regional High School |
| Profession | Politician,advocate |
Jonah Orion Wheeler [1] (born March 1,2003) is an American politician and activist currently serving as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives,representing Hillsborough County District 33,which encompasses Peterborough and Sharon,for the Democratic Party.
Wheeler assumed office on December 7,2022. [2] [3] Having been sworn in when he was 19 years old,he was among the youngest state legislators in the United States. [4]
Wheeler was born on March 1,2003,in Peterborough,New Hampshire. Wheeler graduated from ConVal Regional High School in 2021. [5]
Prior to political office,Wheeler had worked on the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign and interned for the progressive group Rights &Democracy. [6] On June 20,2020,Wheeler was a speaker at a George Floyd rally in Peterborough,New Hampshire. [6]
Wheeler was then appointed as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Adjustments in Peterborough,New Hampshire,a position he would hold until 2025. [7] On November 8,2022,Wheeler was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives,having received more votes than the two incumbent Democratic Representatives Peter Leishman and Ivy Vann,consequently unseating Vann,who had served in the House since 2014. [8] He assumed office on December 7,2022.
On December 20,2023,Wheeler endorsed Marianne Williamson in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries. [9] On January 6,2024,Wheeler was selected as a New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district primary delegate for the Marianne Williamson 2024 presidential campaign. [10] Prior to his support for Williamson,Wheeler expressed support for presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. [11]
In 2025,only two Democratic House members,Reps. Jonah Wheeler and Peter Leishman,both of Peterborough,voted against their party and in favor of House Bill 148 (a bill to eliminate transgender protections established by a 2018 anti-discrimination law). All other House and Senate members voted along party lines (Democrats against the bill,Republicans in favor of it). [12]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jonah Wheeler | 817 | 34.9 | |
| Democratic | Peter Leishman (incumbent) | 777 | 33.2 | |
| Democratic | Ivy Vann (incumbent) | 744 | 31.8 | |
| Total votes | 2,338 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jonah Wheeler | 2,538 | 36.0 | |
| Democratic | Peter Leishman (incumbent) | 2,433 | 34.5 | |
| Republican | Rachel Maidment | 1,054 | 15.0 | |
| Republican | Matthew Pilcher | 1,020 | 14.5 | |
| Total votes | 7,045 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jonah Wheeler (incumbent) | 1,009 | 37.8 | |
| Democratic | Peter Leishman (incumbent) | 968 | 36.3 | |
| Democratic | Ivy Vann | 690 | 25.9 | |
| Total votes | 2,667 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Peter Leishman (incumbent) | 2,932 | 39.6 | |
| Democratic | Jonah Wheeler (incumbent) | 2,920 | 39.4 | |
| Republican | Kimberly Thomas | 1,555 | 21.0 | |
| Total votes | 7,407 | 100.0 | ||
Young politicians are particularly successful in New Hampshire. Of the 25 youngest state legislators in American history, 14 of them hail from New Hampshire. [...] Wheeler took office in December at age 19.