Voters will decide which Democrat will challenge a popular governor, and they will select candidates for an
Here are the key races.
A Democratic duel to face Sununu
Chris Sununu, a Republican and one of the most popular governors in the country, is regarded as an overwhelming favorite to keep his job.But two Democrats are fighting for the privilege of taking him on in the fall.
The state's political establishment has thrown its weight behind Molly Kelly, a former state senator. Where her opponent, Steve Marchand, can come across as glib, Ms. Kelly is cautious and conservative. But 16 current and former state senators have declared their support for her,and analysts see her as the front-runner, especially in a year when female candidates are doing so well.
Mr. Marchand, a sometimes wonky politician who has painted himself as a progressive, is pointedly running to Ms. Kelly's left. A former mayor of Portsmouth, Mr. Marchand has drawn criticism for his previous involvement in "No Labels," a bipartisan group that has been derided on the left for naming Donald Trump a "problem solver" in early 2016. Mr. Marchand is making his second straight bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Regardless who wins, it will be interesting to see how much help the nominee receives from the party leading up to the general election, given the expectation that Mr. Sununu will prevail. Any party leader who lends their support in this first-in-the-nation primary state will inevitably stoke speculation about a 2020 presidential run.
A crowded field in a swing district
The race to watch in New Hampshire is in the First District, where 11 Democrats, including the son of Senator Bernie Sanders, and a handful of Republicans are vying for an open congressional seat in a perennial battleground. Though currently held by a Democrat, Carol Shea-Porter, who is retiring, the district narrowly went for President Trump in 2016. Republicans see it as a potential pickup
On the Democratic side, the front-runners are Maura Sullivan, an ex-Marine and former official in the Obama administration with national support (she has raised more than $1.8 million, largely from outside the state), and Chris Pappas, a New Hampshire Executive Council member who has been endorsed by top local Democrats, including Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Ms. Sullivan, who was considered a possible candidate in the Illinois Sixth District until she moved to New Hampshire last year, has been accused of carpetbagging, a particularly negative charge in this historically insular state. Mr. Pappas has faced criticisms that he is too entrenched in the state's establishment.
Other Democratic candidates include a retired trial lawyer, an environmental scientist, the former chief of staff to the district's current congresswoman and a labor leader. And of course, there is Levi Sanders, the son of the Vermont Senator this neighboring state knows well. He is not expected to win the race. But the fact that there are so many candidates in the primary could open to the door for another dark-horse candidate like State Representative Mindi Messmer, the environmental scientist, or Mark MacKenzie, the labor leader who served as a delegate for the elder Mr. Sanders at the Democratic National Convention.
There are two main Republican candidates competing for their party's nomination: Andy Sanborn, a state senator, and Edward Edwards, a Navy veteran and former police chief who was recently endorsed by Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mr. Trump's lawyer. At this point, the race may come down to which man has successfully convinced voters he is Trumpier.
The other race to watch
The primary election in the state's other congressional district is far sleepier, with the Democratic incumbent, Ann Kuster, widely expected to emerge victorious in November. The Republican candidates include State Representative Steve Negron, who has endorsed by the New Hampshire Union Leader, and Stewart Levenson, a former regional director for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Hillary Clinton won this district in 2016 by two points.
Sydney Ember, New York TImes, September 10, 2018
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September 11, 2018
Post Script. Whether elections have a "favorite" or are perceived as "sleepy," we all need to vote and get out the Vote. Let's get a record number of Democrats turning out TODAY in NH. #DemocracyCounts #YourVoteCounts Get ready #Midterms2018
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