While it appears that the top two Republican recruits to challenge Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire have ruled themselves out, Democrats shouldn’t be taking a victory lap just yet.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who had been leading Hassan in head-to-head polling, decided to run instead for a fourth term as governor. Former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, whom Hassan defeated in 2016 by just over 1,000 votes, appears to be passing on the rematch as well.
Naturally, the chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party decided to gloat, citing Hassan’s record of “beating Republicans year after year.”
Chris Sununu realized what we’ve always known: Maggie Hassan has a record of delivering for New Hampshire — and beating Republicans year after year. #NHPolitics
— Raymond Buckley (@ChairmanBuckley) November 9, 2021
But the 2022 midterm elections continue to look grim for Hassan, whose victories over Republicans have been narrower and narrower with each passing election.
Right now, Hassan’s approval rating is 18 percentage points underwater, and she has 51% unfavorability. President Joe Biden’s approval rating in New Hampshire is tied with that of former President Donald Trump, with Biden 19 points underwater in a state he won by 7 points just one year ago.
Hassan may have avoided the near-certain defeat that would have awaited her had Sununu or Ayotte jumped into the race, but she is facing an uphill climb. Both she and Biden are unpopular in New Hampshire. And, as Republicans showed by almost defeating New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, just about any state where Democrats hold office will be in play during the midterm elections.
It will be up to Republicans not to give Hassan an easy opponent (former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was floated as a candidate for the 2020 Senate race). But Hassan remains vulnerable, posting numbers that are quite terrible for any incumbent. All indications are that she will have her work cut out for her to hold her seat.
