A pro-Trump challenger who has referred to the state’s Republican governor as a “Chinese Communist sympathizer” is aided by a super PAC affiliated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) that is spending millions of dollars in NH Senate GOP primary to harm a moderate, competitive candidate.
According to political analysts, state senator Chuck Morse is the best prospect to unseat Sen. Maggie Hassan (D, N.H.) in a close general election, according to Politico. The Senate Majority PAC spent $3.2 million attacking Morse. Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who has generated controversy for his criticism of Gov. Chris Sununu (R), as well as his assertion that former President Donald Trump “won” the 2020 presidential race, will be Morse’s opponent in a primary contest on Tuesday. According to Morse’s campaign, Democrats are trying to influence the Republican primary in order to improve Hassan’s prospects in the general election.
According to Chuck Morse campaign manager Maya Harvey, “Maggie Hassan and her dark money backers just proved they know what we’ve known all along—Chuck Morse is skyrocketing in the polls and is the best-positioned candidate to beat her come November.” Chuck Morse is a career volunteer, despite Chuck Schumer’s best efforts to lob as many daggers in his direction.
Requests for response from the Senate Majority PAC and Bolduc’s campaign went unanswered.
The ad campaign is the latest attempt by Democrats to support pro-Trump candidates in Republican primaries around the country against establishment-backed opponents. In August, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee assisted John Gibbs, a candidate backed by Trump, in defeating Rep. Peter Meijer (R., Mich.), who voted to remove Trump from office. In close gubernatorial contests in Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Democratic Governors Association helped pro-Trump candidates win.
The advertisement purchase comes after Democrats’ attempts to meddle in the state’s Republican congressional primary. According to the New Hampshire Journal, Republican candidate Bob Burns for the state’s Second Congressional District received posters from a Democratic mail company endorsing him. A $100,000 television advertisement supporting Burns was purchased by a Democratic PAC.
Republicans are spending $3.5 million to back Morse, who is behind Bolduc in Republican primary polls, while Democrats are focusing on Morse.
The emphasis of Hassan’s campaign has been on her ostensibly nonpartisan approach to Congress, a stance clouded by her past. Despite President Joe Biden’s historically low support in the Granite State, Hassan has voted with him 96% of the time.
Trump has not yet endorsed a senatorial contender.
