Hinch was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and served in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1972.

[5] During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Hinch supported Republican representatives who refused to wear face coverings on the House floor, referring to this faction as the "patriot section" and "freedom group.

[6] Several of them tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after the conference and before the opening session of New Hampshire's legislature.

[7] On December 2, 2020, Hinch was formally elected and sworn in as speaker at an outside gathering on the University of New Hampshire campus.

[10][11] It was unclear how Hinch acquired the virus,[6] but Republican state Representative William M. Marsh blamed the death of his colleague on "peer pressure" from a group of Republican legislators in New Hampshire who refused to follow public health guidelines to prevent the virus's spread, such as social distancing and wearing face coverings.