Home · Politics · Sep 8 archive
New Hampshire Senate Primary Races Heat Up as Democrats and Republicans Battle for Control
Confirmed
In Short: In a crucial open-seat race, Democrats and Republicans in New Hampshire are vying for control of the Senate, with a left-leaning candidate gaining momentum in the Democratic primary and Republicans divided over Trump's influence.
Leftist candidate Karishma Manzur is trying to upset 4-term Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire’s Democratic Senate primary, while Republicans are battling for the GOP Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
While Democrats wage an ideological battle, Republicans are fighting over Trump's influence in their own primary, with former senators Sununu and Scott Brown vying for the nomination.
The Democratic and Republican Senate nominations are up for grabs on Tuesday in swing state New Hampshire, in a race that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber in the midterm elections.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Republicans haven't won a Senate election in New Hampshire in 16 years, but they view the open Democrat-held seat as a top flip opportunity in the fight to hold their slim majority in the midterm elections.
- Sununu is also backed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
- Once a longshot, Manzur gained momentum in recent weeks as the national spotlight turned to New Hampshire after a six-month primary season that saw the far-left score a slew of high-profile victories over centrists in what's been framed as a battle for the Democrats' ideological future.
- The winner of the Democratic primary will take on either John E.
- He faces voters in a matter of weeks and could lose his election.
- But it’s more about backyards than being seen as backward, according to voters who spoke to NBC News on a recent road trip along Interstate 80 from Nebraska to New Jersey — a swath that includes eight swing districts key to determining which party will control the House next year and two marquee Senate races.
- These voters, who span the political spectrum, said they don’t want data centers anywhere near their communities.
- While Republican voters are more supportive of data centers than Democrats and independents, the majority of them remain opposed — 57% to 43% — according to the NBC News Decision Desk poll.