At the January 2025 NH Republican State Committee annual meeting, NH GOP awarded Rochester Representative Kelley Potenza the prestigious Norris Cotton Award for outstanding work in both the local party organization and the NH Republican Party. Not only did she receive this award in Jan of 2025, but also 2 years prior in 2023! Strafford County Republican Committee Chair Ken Hilton nominated her both times for her outstanding service!
Representative Potenza was recognized for her vast dedication, some of which included helping other Republican candidates design websites for their campaigns, create literature they could hand out, work in the SCRC office, and collaborate closely with the NH GOP. She did this all while serving as SCRC Vice Chair, running her own successful campaign and still assisting so many others!
The award is given in the name of Norris Henry Cotton, 5-11-1900 to 2-24-1989, who was born on a farm in Warren, NH. Educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, he became one of the youngest ever elected to the NH House of Representatives. Cotton also represented NH in the US House of Representatives for four terms and then went on to represent NH in the US Senate for almost 20 years.