NH-GOV: Sununu is gone. Can Democrats finally win?
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has had a lock on his state’s gubernatorial mansion. But with the popular Republican incumbent not seeking reelection, Democrats hope they can recapture the seat next year for the first time since 2016.
Sununu’s reign has been a rare outlier for Granite State Democrats, who have otherwise won every presidential election and Senate contest there after 2010.
“I think we have as good of a shot as we’ve had in many, many years,” said Marc Goldberg, a longtime senior aide to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), arguing that Democrats would put up a “very high quality candidate” in the general election. “It’s going to be a close race, but certainly we feel good going into the fall.”
But first, both parties must navigate what will likely be competitive primaries. Two Democrats are in the race so far — Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington — and both are quickly rounding up endorsements and raising cash.
Republicans, too, were eager to jump in after Sununu called it quits. It took less than 10 minutes for former state Senate President Chuck Morse to enter the race following Sununu’s announcement, and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte teased a run of her own within the hour, formally launching a bid days later.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-score/2023/07/31/sununu-is-gone-can-democrats-finally-win-00108938