Brian Labrie named Legislator of the Year; Jeff Creem named Activist of the Year at annual Liberty Dinner
BEDFORD, N.H. — A record 104 New Hampshire legislators earned an A or A+ Liberty Rating in 2026, more than double the previous year’s total, as the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance (NHLA) honored the lawmakers, activists and volunteers behind New Hampshire’s expanding liberty movement at its annual Liberty Dinner on Saturday evening.
Held at Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House in Bedford, the annual awards gala brought together legislators, activists, volunteers, donors, and supporters from across New Hampshire to recognize outstanding service to the state’s liberty movement.
Rep. Brian Labrie was named the 2026 Legislator of the Year, the organization’s highest legislative honor. The award recognizes a legislator whose voting record, legislative leadership, and broader contribution to advancing liberty stood out during the year.
Jeff Creem received the 2026 Activist of the Year Award, recognizing his commitment, energy, and impact advancing liberty in New Hampshire.
Longtime liberty advocate Dan McGuire received the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring his years of sustained service and contribution to the liberty movement.
Diane Pauer received the 2026 Chairman’s Award, a special recognition presented for exceptional contribution to the NHLA and the cause of liberty.
“This year’s award winners demonstrate that protecting liberty takes many forms,” said Shawn Faber. “Some sponsor legislation. Some cast difficult votes. Others research bills, organize volunteers, recruit candidates and build the movement. Tonight we recognize the people whose work helps keep New Hampshire the freest state in America.”
The NHLA also presented a series of special awards recognizing outstanding contributions during the 2025–2026 legislative session:
- Bill Reviewer of the Year: Rich Tomasso
- Rookie of the Year: Rep. Sam Farrington
- For the People Award: Sen. Victoria Sullivan
- Breaking Overton Windows Award: Rep. Matt Drew
- Uno Reverse Award: Rep. Ross Berry
- Rising Star Award: Rep. Lisa Mazur
In addition to the award winners, dozens of legislators were recognized for earning A and A+ Liberty Ratings during the 2025–2026 legislative session.
“The people we honored tonight are proof that liberty is not standing still in New Hampshire; it is growing,” said Pedro Serra, Membership Director of the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance. “Every new member adds weight to that work. It shows legislators, candidates, and the wider public that there is a real constituency behind the cause of liberty in New Hampshire. The growth in this year’s Liberty Ratings shows that momentum is translating into results. Strength in numbers matters.”
That momentum is reflected in this year’s Liberty Rating. Compared with 2025, the number of legislators earning an A or A+ increased by 154 percent, from 41 to 104. The number earning the highest possible A+ rating also rose from 18 to 30. The Liberty Rating is widely used by voters to evaluate how consistently elected officials support individual liberty during each legislative session.
New Hampshire is the freest state in the nation, making the work of its Legislature closely watched by advocates of limited government across the country. The Liberty Rating provides an annual benchmark for measuring how consistently legislators protect and advance those principles.
For more than two decades the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance has monitored legislation and informed citizens about the voting records of state lawmakers. Its volunteer bill reviewers evaluate hundreds of bills each legislative session, producing the weekly Gold Standard and the annual Liberty Rating.
