United States Senate election in New Hampshire, 2016

2016 U.S. Senate Election in New Hampshire

General Election Date November 8, 2016

Primary Date September 13, 2016

November 8 Election Winner: Maggie Hassan

Incumbent prior to election: Kelly Ayotte

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Toss-up Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up Rothenberg & Gonzales: Pure Toss-up

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2016 U.S. House Elections

Voters in New Hampshire elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 8, 2016.

The race for New Hampshire's U.S. Senate seat was one of nine competitive battleground races in 2016. Incumbent Kelly Ayotte (R) conceded defeat to challenger Maggie Hassan (D) on November 9, 2016. They were separated by less than 800 votes.

After conceding, Ayotte said in a statement, “It has been a tremendous privilege to serve New Hampshire in the Senate and to make progress on addressing our heroin epidemic, making it easier for our small businesses to create good paying jobs, and supporting those who keep us safe in a dangerous world. This is a critical time for New Hampshire and our country, and now more than ever, we need to work together to address our challenges. The voters have spoken and now it’s time all of us to come together to get things done for the people of the Greatest State in this Nation and for the Greatest Country on Earth.”

In her victory speech, Hassan said, "We know that this election exposed very serious divisions in our country, and it's up to all of us -- elected leaders and citizens -- now to come together and focus on our common challenges and our common opportunities. Our work going forward is going to be to remember what unites us as Americans and how we can make progress together."

Hassan also defeated Libertarian candidate Brian Chabot.

During the campaign, Hassan attempted to tie Ayotte to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, who lost the state to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Hassan's campaign manager, Marc Goldberg, said, "Trump helps. He unequivocally helps. [Ayotte] has this weight around her leg in Trump that she's dragging around."

Ayotte’s strategy was to distance herself from the top of the ticket and run a local campaign focused on issues that impacted New Hampshirites. Although she initially said that she would vote for Trump, on October 8, 2016, Ayotte withdrew her support for Trump after The Washington Post released a 2005 video of Trump making comments about women that were described as "extremely lewd." She added that she would cast her vote for Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Ayotte also chose to skip the Republican National Convention, preferring to attend campaign events across her state. She frequently spoke about her role in passing a bipartisan bill in the Senate that would help New Hampshire address its opioid abuse crisis and about her national security credentials.

Ayotte and Hassan both tried to define themselves as independent candidates who would stand up to members of their parties and special interest groups, in order to gain the support of independent voters in the state. Their task was difficult as outside groups tried to define these candidates by pouring nearly $91 million into the race. The candidates themselves had spent a combined total of $30.5 million, according to The Center for Responsive Politics.

This election was one of Ballotpedia's top 10 congressional races in 2016. Click here to read the full list.

HISTORICAL FACTS

Incumbent Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) held New Hampshire's Class 3 Senate seat since 2011.

Sen. John A. Durkin was the last Democrat elected to the seat. Durkin served from 1975 to 1980.

The Senate seat had changed party control 11 times.

Candidate Filing Deadline	Primary Election	General Election
June 10, 2016	September 13, 2016	November 8, 2016

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Hampshire uses a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary, but in order to do so, they have to choose a party before voting. This changes their status from unaffiliated to affiliated with that party unless they fill out a card to return to undeclared status.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Incumbent: The election filled the Class 3 Senate seat held by Kelly Ayotte (R). She was first elected in 2010.

Election results

General election

U.S. Senate, New Hampshire General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Maggie Hassan	48%	354,649
	Republican	Kelly Ayotte Incumbent	47.9%	353,632
	Independent	Aaron Day	2.4%	17,742
	Libertarian	Brian Chabot	1.7%	12,597
Total Votes				738,620
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

Primary election

U.S. Senate, New Hampshire Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Kelly Ayotte Incumbent	78.9%	86,558
Jim Rubens	17.4%	19,139
Tom Alciere	1.4%	1,586
Gerard Beloin	1.1%	1,252
Stanley Emanuel	1.1%	1,187
Total Votes		109,722
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

Candidates

General election candidates:

Kelly Ayotte
Maggie Hassan a
Brian Chabot

Primary candidates:

Democratic

Maggie Hassan - Governor of New Hampshire a

Republican

Kelly Ayotte - Incumbent a
Tom Alciere
Gerard Beloin
Stanley Michael Emanuel
Jim Rubens

Third Party/Other

Brian Chabot (Libertarian) a

Race background

Democratic coattails

In New Hampshire Clinton saw a slight reverse coattails effect from Governor and Senator-elect Maggie Hassan (D). Clinton won 47.6 percent of the vote, while Hassan won 48 percent of the vote, a 0.4 percent difference.

A full breakdown of the Democratic presidential and Senate races appears below.

*Ballotpedia identified the highlighted races as battleground races and races to watch. The vote percentages are from CNN and will be updated after the final results are released.

2016 Democratic Presidential and Senate election results
State	Presidential candidate vote %	Senate candidate vote %	Vote % Difference
California	Hillary Clinton	Kamala Harris (D) or Loretta Sanchez (D)
Totals	61.4% a	Harris (D), 62.5% a/ Sanchez (D), 37.5% d	Both Senate candidates were Democrats
Colorado	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Michael Bennet
Totals	47.0% a	48.9% a	Bennet +1.9%
Connecticut	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Richard Blumenthal
Totals	54.0% a	62.5% a	Blumenthal +8.5%
Hawaii	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Brian Schatz
Totals	62.3% a	73.6% a	Schatz +11.3%
Illinois	Hillary Clinton	Tammy Duckworth
Totals	55.4% a	54.4% a	Clinton +1.0%
Maryland	Hillary Clinton	Chris Van Hollen
Totals	60.5% a	60.4% a	Clinton +0.1%
Nevada	Hillary Clinton	Catherine Cortez Masto
Totals	47.9% a	47.1% a	Clinton +0.8%
New Hampshire	Hillary Clinton	Maggie Hassan
Totals	47.6% a	48% a	-
New York	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Chuck Schumer
Totals	58.8% a	70.4% a	Schumer +11.6%
Oregon	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Ron Wyden
Totals	51.8% a	56.8% a	Wyden +5.0%
Vermont	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Patrick Leahy
Totals	61.1% a	61.3% a	Leahy +0.2%
Washington	Hillary Clinton	Incumbent Patty Murray
Totals	56.3% a	60.8% a	Murray +4.5%
Alabama	Hillary Clinton	Ron Crumpton
Totals	34.6% d	35.8% d	Crumpton +1.2%
Alaska	Hillary Clinton	Ray Metcalfe
Totals	37.6% d	11.1% d	Clinton +26.5%
Arizona	Hillary Clinton	Ann Kirkpatrick
Totals	45.4% d	41.3% d	Clinton +4.1%
Arkansas	Hillary Clinton	Conner Eldridge
Totals	33.8% d	36.2% d	Eldridge +2.4%
Florida	Hillary Clinton	Patrick Murphy
Totals	47.4% d	44.3% d	Clinton +3.1%
Georgia	Hillary Clinton	Jim Barksdale
Totals	45.5% d	40.8% d	Clinton +4.7%
Idaho	Hillary Clinton	Jerry Sturgill
Totals	27.5% d	27.7% d	Sturgill +0.2%
Indiana	Hillary Clinton	Evan Bayh
Totals	37.9% d	42.4% d	Bayh +4.5%
Iowa	Hillary Clinton	Patty Judge
Totals	42.2% d	35.7% d	Clinton +6.5%
Kansas	Hillary Clinton	Patrick Wiesner
Totals	36.1% d	32.1% d	Clinton +4.0%
Kentucky	Hillary Clinton	Jim Gray
Totals	32.7% d	42.7% d	Gray +10%
Louisiana	Hillary Clinton	Multiple Democratic candidates
Totals	38.4% d	(Race not called)	-
Missouri	Hillary Clinton	Jason Kander
Totals	38% d	46.2% d	Kander +8.2%
North Carolina	Hillary Clinton	Deborah Ross
Totals	46.7% d	45.3% d	Clinton +1.4%
North Dakota	Hillary Clinton	Eliot Glassheim
Totals	27.8% d	17% d	Clinton +10.8%
Ohio	Hillary Clinton	Ted Strickland
Totals	43.5% d	36.9% d	Clinton +6.6%
Oklahoma	Hillary Clinton	Mike Workman
Totals	28.9% d	24.6% d	Clinton +4.3%
Pennsylvania	Hillary Clinton	Katie McGinty
Totals	47.6% d	47.2% d	Clinton +0.4%
South Carolina	Hillary Clinton	Thomas Dixon
Totals	39.9% d	36.3% d	Clinton +3.6%
South Dakota	Hillary Clinton	Jay Williams
Totals	31.7% d	28.2% d	Clinton +3.5%
Utah	Hillary Clinton	Misty Snow
Totals	28% d	27.5% d	Clinton +0.5%
Wisconsin	Hillary Clinton	Russ Feingold
Totals	46.9% d	46.8% d	Clinton +.01%
Totals	Clinton's average win: 50.5%	Democratic senators' average win: 54.2%	Democratic senators: +3.7%

Debates

Fifth debate: October 27

During the fifth debate on October 27, 2016, Ayotte and Hassan argued about healthcare, the heroin epidemic, and Pell Grants. The full debate can be viewed here.

Hassan argued that Ayotte would allow a provision of the Affordable Care Act to expire in the state in 2017 that provides citizens of New Hampshire with access to healthcare. Hassan said, “I will fight any attempt to vote to take away Medicaid expansion from 50,000 of our Granite Staters as my opponent has tried to do.”

According to New Hampshire Union Leader, “Ayotte said she voted for a two-year extension of the New Hampshire Health Protection Program to give stakeholders time to craft a state solution while Hassan favors more government control.” Ayotte said, “She is going to be following Hillary Clinton’s lead on this; she wants to expand the Affordable Care Act.”

Ayotte accused Hassan of not dealing with the heroin epidemic in New Hampshire in a timely fashion by vetoing the state budget. Ayotte said, “When she vetoed the budget, she delayed getting the money out the door by three months.”

According to New Hampshire Union Leader, “Hassan said it took the Republican-led Legislature seven months to act on her proposals.”

Fourth debate: October 25

WMUR-TV, "Hassan, Ayotte go head to head in debate at New England College," October 3, 2016.

During the fourth debate, Ayotte and Hassan discussed a variety of issues, including Dodd-Frank, taxes, paid and family medical leave, and a proposed expansion of federal overtime rules.

According to New Hampshire Union Leader, “Ayotte defended her support for voting to try and place new constraints on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a watchdog agency created from the Dodd-Frank legislation." She said, “I support having the CFPD, but I want oversight. … What other agency has it that you don’t come before Congress looking for the funding for it.”

Hassan replied, “Make no mistake about it. Senator Ayotte has voted to weaken Dodd-Frank, to weaken the CFPD, it’s not really a surprise.”

Ayotte then explained that Dodd-Frank has hurt small banks. She said, “There are many heavy-handed approaches that come out of Washington that do not make sense for our businesses and individuals here in New Hampshire.”

Hassan then accused Ayotte of supporting big business. She said, “I wouldn’t continue, as she has done, to vote to protect tax breakers. She talked about businesses going overseas, well, she has voted against eliminating the moving deduction for outsourcers. She has voted to protect tax breaks for big oil. She’s voted to protect tax breaks for Wall Street CEOs.”

According to New Hampshire Union Leader, “Ayotte said it was Hassan who cares little about the tax burden of small business as the sponsor of the since-aborted LLC tax and first vetoing business tax cuts she ultimately signed.” Ayotte said, “The one thing that is bipartisan against her budget is Republicans and Democrats came together to override her veto.”

Third debate: October 14

During the third debate, Ayotte and Hassan discussed a variety of issues, including Donald Trump, New Hampshire's budget, and the Iran nuclear deal. The full debate can be viewed here.

• On Trump: Hassan said Ayotte’s previous support for Trump showed a "concerning lack of judgment. … What you didn't hear my opponent say is why she supported Donald Trump for over a year as he made one sexist comment after the next, after he made one racist comment after the next, as he made fun of people with disabilities. He is a man who seems to think cruelty is a sport, and her support for him has been unacceptable." Ayotte responded that she repeatedly denounced Trump for his insensitive statements.

• On New Hampshire’s state budget: Ayotte criticized Hassan’s handling of New Hampshire’s state budget, saying, "You want to talk about acting like Washington did? She vetoed a budget, and delayed money to address the heroin epidemic, to address mental health beds that we need. Now she takes credit for it." According to The Associated Press, “Hassan vetoed a two-year budget approved by the Legislature last year over whether to cut the state's two largest business taxes, a pay raise for state workers and a failure to extend the state's Medicaid expansion.” Hassan said she was proud of the compromise that became law.

• On the Iran nuclear deal: Ayotte said, "This is a very bad deal for our country and is one that makes us less safe and our allies less safe. We should've taken a much stronger position in not allowing them to keep their nuclear infrastructure." Hassan said the deal will help prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Second debate: October 3

WMUR-TV, "Hassan, Ayotte go head to head in debate at New England College," October 3, 2016.

During the second debate, Ayotte and Hassan discussed a variety of issues, including the presidential nominees, preventing terrorists from obtaining firearms, and access to birth control.

• On whether Donald Trump is a role model: Ayotte said, "I think that certainly there are many role models that we have and I believe he can serve as president and so, absolutely, I would do that."

• After the debate, Ayotte issued a statement saying that she misspoke. She said, "While I would hope all of our children would aspire to be president, neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton have set a good example and I wouldn't hold up either of them as role models for my kids."

• On whether Hillary Clinton is trustworthy: Hassan said she thinks Clinton is "honest and trustworthy," despite previously having difficulty saying so.

• On preventing terrorists from obtaining firearms: Ayotte said, “I fully support those who are too dangerous to get on a commercial flight, that they cannot not have a firearm, but we also have to create a mechanism for people who believe they're wrongfully on that list.” Hassan said, “Sen. Ayotte has had multiple opportunities to make our country safer and to stand up to terrorists, to vote for an expanded background check bill that has had bipartisan support, and she has declined to do it.”

• On access to birth control: Ayotte discussed her plan to allow women to access birth control without a prescription. She said, “This is an idea to allow women to access birth control, with FDA approval and with safety and security in mind, over the counter.” Hassan countered that Ayotte’s plan “would take away the requirement that insurance companies actually cover birth control.”

First debate: September 30

WMUR-TV, "Full video: First debate between Kelly Ayotte, Maggie Hassan," September 30, 2016.

During the first debate on September 30, 2016, Ayotte and Hassan discussed their differences on a variety of issues, including the Second Amendment, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

• On the Second Amendment: Hassan said that members of Congress have made it easy for terrorists to obtain guns by not passing strict gun control laws. She said, “ISIS knows it. They know that in the United States it’s really easy to circumvent the current laws and get weapons.” According to The Concord Monitor, “Hassan supports banning people on terror watch lists from purchasing guns and expanding federal background checks to include firearms bought online or at gun shows." Ayotte argued that existing laws that prevent terrorists from obtaining guns must be enforced. She said, “What I have supported is making sure that we help fix the background check system. There is an abysmal record on prosecuting gun violence and also violations of our background check system right now.” Ayotte opposes expanding background checks.

• On standing up to party leaders: Ayotte disagrees with Donald Trump's "plans to handle Russian aggression, Vladimir Putin and NATO,” according to The Concord Monitor. Hassan said that she supports Hillary Clinton but disagrees with President Barack Obama’s plan to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

• On the Iran nuclear deal: Ayotte said that she supports getting rid of the nuclear deal, while Hassan said that the deal will keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

• On the Affordable Care Act (ACA): Both Ayotte and Hassan agreed that the medical device tax should be repealed. However, Hassan wants to fix the ACA, while Ayotte wants to replace it.

Primary election

Ayotte (R) defeated Tom Alciere, Gerard Beloin, Stanley Michael Emanuel, and Jim Rubens in the Republican primary election. Hassan did not face a primary challenger.

Outside funding

On February 11, 2016, Ayotte asked Hassan to sign a People's Pledge that would have required each candidate to ask outside groups to not spend money on their campaigns. According to WMUR.com, "To enforce it [the peldge], if a third-party group spends money despite the call, the candidate benefiting would agree to give half of what was spent to charity."

Ayotte said, "Since (Hassan has) gotten into this Senate race, she has repeatedly railed against third-party special interest groups. If she really is concerned about this and this is not just a campaign talking point, I hope she'll do something about it."

Hassan replied, "This proposal really deserves a good look. I'm also, though, a little bit interested that it is coming from Senator Ayotte now, after outside groups have spent already $5 million to benefit her, and (she has) given her strong support for the Citizens United case. Having said that, I will certainly review the proposal carefully."

On February 12, 2016, Hassan proposed that she and Ayotte agree to spend no more than $15 million each on their campaigns.

Ayotte rejected Hassan's proposal and said that it was Hassan's "attempt to 'kill' the pledge without outright rejecting it," according to New Hampshire Public Radio. Ayotte said, “This move is politician speak for ‘I do not want to sign the People’s Pledge.’”

Neither proposal was signed, which resulted in a flood of advertising in the state from outside groups. Commenting on the outside money in the race, Dean Spiliotes, a civics scholar at Southern New Hampshire University, said, "The amount of spending is amazing. By the time we are finished, it will probably be $75 million or $80 million.”

Ayotte welcomes Hassan to the race

Governor Maggie Hassan (D) entered the race in October 2015, providing the Democratic Party with a well-known challenger to incumbent Kelly Ayotte (R) in this battleground race. Ayotte welcomed Hassan to the race, saying, "We have lots to talk about, including confronting the challenges facing our state and how we can best deliver results for New Hampshire families."

Issues

Campaign themes

Kelly Ayotte

The following issues were listed on Ayotte's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Jobs & the Economy: Kelly is committed to giving our kids even better opportunities than she had growing up in New Hampshire. Heroin Epidemic: The heroin and prescription drug abuse crisis is devastating our communities and taking our loved ones from us. Kelly is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to fighting this epidemic and is leading efforts in New Hampshire and in the Senate to address this public health crisis. Working Families: As a working mom who commutes from Nashua every week, Kelly knows how hard it is to balance a full-time job while raising a family. Military & Veterans: Kelly’s husband, Joe, flew combat missions in Iraq, so her commitment to honoring the promises we’ve made to our veterans is deeply personal. Taxes & Spending: Like most working parents, Kelly and Joe keep a close eye on their household budget and put money away for major expenses down the road. Kelly believes that the federal government should have to live within its means, just like we do here in New Hampshire.	”
—Kelly Ayotte's campaign website

Maggie Hassan

The following issues were listed on Hassan's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Combating the Heroin & Opioid Crisis: The heroin and opioid crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing New Hampshire, and Governor Hassan has been working with those on the front lines to ensure that they have the tools and resources they need to stem – and ultimately reverse – the tide of this horrible epidemic. Defense & National Security: Governor Hassan’s first and foremost responsibility is to protect the safety and security of New Hampshire’s citizens, and keeping our nation safe and secure will remain her highest priority as United States Senator. She will fight to ensure that America has the strongest military in the world, while also remaining the greatest force for good and ensuring that the use of our military might is a last resort. Economy, Jobs & Innovation: Governor Maggie Hassan has worked to bring together Republicans, Democrats and independents to build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire where education and small businesses drive job creation. Maggie has helped foster a business-friendly environment that has the state’s unemployment rate among the lowest in the nation, and a CNBC report recently ranked New Hampshire as the #1 state for business friendliness. Education & Workforce Development: Governor Maggie Hassan believes that education is essential to expanding economic opportunity and ensuring that all of our young people are equipped to compete in our changing global economy. Maggie was drawn to public service as an advocate fighting to ensure that children like her son Ben, who experiences severe disabilities, would be fully included in their communities and receive a high quality education at their local schools. Commitment to education also runs deep in Maggie’s family: her husband and daughter are both educators, along with both of her parents. Energy & the Environment: In New Hampshire, our beautiful natural resources define us as a state, and Governor Maggie Hassan has always been a champion of protecting our environment and building a stronger, more affordable energy future for our families and businesses.	”
—Maggie Hassan's campaign website

Republican primary debate

Ayotte and Rubens discussed their stances on immigration, the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal (TPP), and government spending during the September 1, 2016, NH1 News debate.

Immigration

Rubens criticized Ayotte for voting in favor of the Gang of Eight’s bipartisan immigration reform bill—S 744 - the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act—in 2013. He said, “Unfortunately Senator, you promised to vote against amnesty and to secure the border when you ran last time in 2010. And you broke that promise. You went to Washington and voted for the Gang of Eight, open borders, amnesty, drive down American wages bill.”

Ayotte defended her voting record on immigration, saying, “I feel strongly that we need to secure our border and protect the American people. That’s why the proposal that I voted for would have doubled the amount of fencing, would have doubled the amount of border agents, would have created an entry-exit system. And in fact 40% of the people who are here illegally actually overstayed a visa so we need that system. We need a stronger E-Verify system. And I have voted to end sanctuary cities.”

Trans-Pacific Partnership

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: An overview

Ayotte and Rubens both explained their opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal (TPP) during the debate. The trade deal seeks to promote trade and strengthen the relationships between the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific nations by reducing and eliminating tariffs, fostering competition, and creating greater opportunities for businesses. The countries involved have also agreed to promote environmental protection practices and enforce laws protecting workers. Congress has not voted on the deal.

Rubens criticized Ayotte for voting to give President Barack Obama trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority, to negotiate the TPP. Rubens said, “We need fair trade policies that do not lead to us bleeding jobs to other countries. So I oppose TPP, I oppose TPA, because it will result in more deterioration of American wages. I differ with my opponent on these crony capitalist trade deals. Totally unfair for Americans.”

Ayotte defended her vote to give Obama TPA and explained her opposition to the TPP, saying, “I’ve visited so many great companies in New Hampshire, manufacturing companies. Companies that do great work in producing incredible goods. And they’re exporting a lot of their goods overseas and they do incredible work. And I know that our companies, they can compete in the very best, and are the very best, when there’s a fair playing field. So I did allow the President to negotiate this. But I can’t support it as it’s come forward because he did not negotiate it strongly enough.”

Ayotte added that she agreed with Trump on trade. She said, “I think he would be a much stronger negotiator.”

Government spending

Rubens accused Ayotte of not having a fiscally conservative voting record. He said, “You promised to be a fiscal conservative when you ran in 2010. I supported you in 2010 and worked to get you elected. You get down there. You drink the Washington cool aid [sic] and you voted for the Democrats and Obama’s cromibus and omnibus budgets. These are the last two budgets. The proof is in the vote. And you voted to add trillions of dollars to national debt. You voted recently, last year, to gut, to take $117 billion from the Social Security Trust Fund to fund Welfare. You voted to remove the debt ceiling. These are not the acts of a fiscal conservative. This is fundamental to what Republican stand for. We’re having a primary here so we can have people in the United States Senate who will vote for fiscal responsibility.”

Ayotte replied, “I strongly support getting our fiscal house in order.. I’ve supported a balanced budget amendment and on every committee that I serve on I’m looking for ways to cut spending and have examples of how I’ve done that. But I want people to understand the things that Mr. Rubens is criticizing me on, the bills that I did support, to make sure that the military had the funding to take on ISIS, to make sure that those resources that I talked about for the heroin epidemic were coming to New Hampshire. And also suspending the medical device tax that is so onerous under Obamacare. Those are important issues for New Hampshire that I wasn’t going to overlook.”

Presidential preference

Kelly Ayotte

See also: Republicans and their declared positions on Donald Trump and Republican reactions to 2005 Trump tape

• On October 8, 2016, Ayotte withdrew her support for Trump after The Washington Post released a 2005 video of Trump making comments about women that were described as "extremely lewd." Ayotte said that she would not vote for Trump or for Clinton. She added that she would cast her vote for vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence. Her statement appears below:

• I will not vote for Donald Trump. Read my statement here: pic.twitter.com/F8zajgDZpg

  — Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) October 8, 2016

• On August 16, 2016, Ayotte made the distinction between her decision to support Trump, rather than endorse him. She said, "There's actually a big distinction: Everyone gets a vote, I do too. And an endorsement is when you are campaigning with someone. While he [Trump] has my vote he doesn't have my endorsement. I'm going to continue to focus on my race and getting out to people what I have done and getting results for people in New Hampshire." Ayotte added that she would not hesitate to stand up to the next president. She said, "I will take on my own party. I really believe that this is a big issue in this race -- that I am the one candidate that will stand up to whomever is in the White House to do good things when we can work together -- also when it's wrong to stand up to them." When asked twice "if she trusted Trump having his finger on the nuclear codes," Ayotte avoided directly answering the question. She said, "I think, again, we have a system, a strong system, of checks and balances. Certainly when he is elected, if he is elected, I would hope that he will surround himself with very knowledgeable people."

• In July 2016, Ayotte said, “I will be voting for Donald Trump.”

• On May 4, 2016, the day after Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee, Liz Johnson, communications director for Kelly for New Hampshire, said, “As she's said from the beginning, Kelly plans to support the nominee. As a candidate herself, she hasn't and isn't planning to endorse anyone this cycle.” Ayotte did not mention Donald Trump in her statement.

Ayotte criticism of Trump's Khan comments

Ayotte criticized Trump for his comments about Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of fallen United States Army Captain Humayun S. M. Khan. After the Khans criticized Trump during the Democratic National Convention on July 28, 2016, Trump responded by criticizing the Kahns for questioning his knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and suggested that Ghazala Khan did not speak at the convention because of her Islamic faith.

Ayotte said in a statement that Capt. Humayun Khan was a “true American hero. ... I am appalled that Donald Trump would disparage them and that he had the gall to compare his own sacrifices to those of a Gold Star family."

Trump refused to endorse Ayotte

After Ayotte criticized Trump for his comments about the Khans, Trump refused to endorse her. He said, “New Hampshire is one of my favorite places. You have a Kelly Ayotte who doesn’t want to talk about Trump, but I’m beating her in the polls by a lot. You tell me. Are these people that should be representing us, okay? You tell me. I don’t know Kelly Ayotte. I know she’s given me no support — zero support — and yet I’m leading her in the polls. I’m doing very well in New Hampshire. We need loyal people in this country. We need fighters in this country. We don’t need weak people. We have enough of them. We need fighters in this country. But Kelly Ayotte has given me zero support, and I’m doing great in New Hampshire.”

Ayotte responded to Trump's comments in the following statement: “I call it like I see it, and I’m always going to stand up for our military families and what’s best for the people of New Hampshire.”

Trump endorsed Ayotte

On August 5, 2016, Trump changed his mind and endorsed Ayotte. He called her "a rising star."

Maggie Hassan

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

In September 2015, Hassan endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. She said in a statement, “Hillary Clinton is the leader that New Hampshire families need fighting for them--day in and day out--in the White House. I’ve known Hillary for years, and I know that she is deeply committed to making sure Granite State families get ahead and have the support they need to stay ahead. Whether it’s through her comprehensive plan to make college more affordable for our students, her multi-pronged approach to combating substance abuse, or her unwavering commitment to protecting access to reproductive health care for women, all Granite Staters have a champion in Hillary Clinton. I am proud to endorse Hillary Clinton for President of the United States, and hope that Granite State families will join me as we work toward a brighter tomorrow.”

Clinton’s trustworthiness

During an interview on CNN on August 16, 2016, Hassan was asked if she thought Clinton was "honest and trustworthy."

Hassan replied, "I support Hillary Clinton for the presidency because her experience and record demonstrate she's qualified to hold the job."

When asked a second time about Clinton's trustworthiness, Hassan said that Clinton had a "critical, critical plan among others for making college more affordable."

CNN's Manu Raju then said, "But do you think she's trustworthy?"

Hassan responded, "I think that she has demonstrated a commitment always to something beyond herself, bigger than herself."

After the interview, Hassan's campaign clarified that she “does see Clinton as honest,” according to Politico.

On August 18, 2016, Hassan said on NH1 Radio that she did not answer Raju’s questions about Clinton very well, saying, “we can all have days when we answer questions better and I certainly didn’t give my best answer on that one." She then said that she thought Clinton was honest and trustworthy. She said, "As do many members of both political parties, especially Republican experts in national security and national defense who say that she has the experience and temperament to be commander-in-chief. And I agree with that and I wouldn't be supporting her for president if I didn't."

Defeated candidate

Jim Rubens

Rubens endorsed Trump on February 9, 2016.

On June 7, 2016, Rubens defended his endorsement of Trump after some accused Trump of being racist. Rubens said in a statement, “I’m standing by my endorsement of Donald Trump. He is not a racist. His decades of hiring practices prove that.”

According to New Hampshire Public Radio, “Rubens has been vocal about his support [sic] Trump, emphasizing he’s both supporting and endorsing the Republican nominee, something he reminds voters Ayotte still refuses to do.”

Rubens was disappointed that Trump endorsed Ayotte and questioned his decision, saying, “Two days before, Kelly Ayotte was weak, and then two days later, she was a rising star. So how does one go from rising star to weak?” Rubens said that he would still support Trump.

Polls

New Hampshire Senate - Kelly Ayotte vs. Maggie Hassan (April 2016-Present)
Poll	Kelly Ayotte	Maggie Hassan	Margin of Error	Sample Size
WMUR/UNH October 26-30	44%	46%	+/-3.9	641
Emerson College October 17-19, 2016	45%	45%	+/-3.2	900
WMUR/UNH October 11-17, 2016	39%	48%	+/-3.3	770
WBUR/MassINC October 10-12, 2016	47%	47%	+/-4.4	501
UMass Lowell/7News October 7-11, 2016	45%	44%	+/-4.3	517
Suffolk University October 3-5, 2016	47%	41%	+/-4.4	500
WBUR/MassINC September 27-29, 2016	46%	48%	+/-4.4	502
Monmouth University September 17-20, 2016	47%	45%	+/-4.9	400
NBC/WSJ/Maris September 6-8, 2016	52%	44%	+/-3.6	707
Emerson September 3-5, 2016	48%	46%	+/-3.9	600
WMUR/UNH August 20-28, 2016	42%	44%	+/-4.7	433
CBS News/YouGov August 10-12, 2016	41%	42%	+/-4.3	990
WBUR/MassINC July 29-August 1, 2016	40%	50%	+/-N/A	609
WMUR/UNH July 9-18, 2016	42%	45%	+/-4.5	469
ARG June 24-28, 2016	51%	42%	+/-4.2	533
PPP June 22-23, 2016	42%	44%	+/-N/A	578
Boston Herald/FPU May 25-28, 2016	48%	47%	+/-4.9	405
WBUR/MassINC May 12-15, 2016	46%	48%	+/-4.4	501
Dartmouth April 11-16, 2016	37%	35%	+/-5.15	362
WMUR/UNH April 7-17, 2016	43%	42%	+/-4.2	553
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected]

New Hampshire Senate - Ayotte vs. Hassan (2015-Feb. 2016)
Poll	Kelly Ayotte	Maggie Hassan	Unsure or Other	Margin of Error	Sample Size
WMUR/UNH February 20-28, 2016	45%	41%	14%	+/-3.9	628
NBC News/WSJ/Marist January 17-23, 2016	45%	40%	15%	+/-2.1	2,258
Gravis Marketing January 15-18, 2016	49%	42%	9%	+/-2.8	1,197
Public Policy Polling January 4-6, 2016	44%	42%	14%	+/-3	1,036
Public Policy Polling November 30-December 2, 2015	42%	42%	16%	+/-3.1	990
Public Policy Polling October 16-18, 2015	43%	44%	13%	+/-3.3	880
Gravis Marketing October 5-6, 2015	52%	42%	6%	+/-3.1	1,035
University of New Hampshire Survey Center September 24-October 2, 2015	45%	43%	12%	+/-4.0	587
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected]

Endorsements

Kelly Ayotte

• Maggie's List - "In the Senate, Senator Kelly Ayotte works tirelessly to prevent domestic violence and human trafficking, and has introducing historic reforms to end the scourge of sexual assault in the military and on college campuses. Kelly is a strong proponent of every state having a fully functional VA Hospital to give the best care possible to our veterans."

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce - Senior Vice President and National Political Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Rob Engstrom said, "America cannot afford failed Governor Maggie Hassan in the United States Senate. … Kelly Ayotte represents the very best of the American free-enterprise system, standing up for businesses on Main Street. She’s been characterized as tough, independent, a principled fighter on behalf of the great state of New Hampshire.”

• New Hampshire Motor Transport Association - President of the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association Bob Sculley said, “We’ve always been grateful to work alongside Kelly as she leads the charge on issues that could impact the commercial motor carrier industry, and we are proud to endorse her today. Kelly is a champion not only for truck owners and operators, but also for the New Hampshire residents and consumers who every day utilize goods and services delivered by truck. It is incredibly clear that Kelly is the strongest candidate to fight for us in the Senate.”

• 2016 Republican vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence - "[O]f course I support John McCain and Kelly Ayotte and all of our Republican incumbents."

• Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton

Maggie Hassan

• Sierra Club - Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said, “Governor Maggie Hassan has been a climate champion for New Hampshire and understands that protecting our environment is more than just an election year issue. The Governor’s strong record stands in stark contrast with climate disaster Senator Kelly Ayotte, who has repeatedly voted to protect tax breaks for Big Oil, voted against clean water protections, and has said that the role of the Environmental Protection Agency needs to be reined in. The Sierra Club is proud to endorse Maggie Hassan for Senate because we know that she will always fight for our environment.”

• American Federation of Teachers-New Hampshire (AFT-NH) - AFT-NH President Doug Ley said, “Throughout her time in office, Governor Maggie Hassan has demonstrated a deep commitment to fighting for students, teachers, and their families. Time and again, Governor Hassan has shown she can bring people together to get results for Granite State students, from K-12 all the way through higher education, and that is exactly the approach that she will take in the Senate. Governor Hassan’s strong record in supporting our students stands in sharp contrast with Senator Kelly Ayotte, who has voted for policies that would slash school funding and make college more expensive. AFT-NH is proud to stand with Maggie, because we know that she will always stand with students and teachers in the Senate.”

• National Education Association-New Hampshire (NEA-NH) - NEA-NH President Scott McGilvray said, “Throughout her time in office, Maggie Hassan has consistently stood up for students, educators, and their families. As our Governor, Maggie has fought to protect funding in our K-12 schools and has worked tirelessly to make college more affordable, and we know she’ll continue fighting for us in the Senate. Unlike Senator Kelly Ayotte, who has consistently put her political party and special interest backers before Granite State students, Governor Hassan will always put New Hampshire first. Governor Hassan understands that our state and nation are better off when students have access to a quality education, and we are proud to recommend her to be our next United States Senator.”

• Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire - President of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire David Lang said, “Firefighters do their job each and every day, just as Governor Hassan continues to do her job. Over her years serving in New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan time and again has brought people together and put New Hampshire families first. We need Maggie in the U.S. Senate so she can continue growing the middle class and a smarter economy for New Hampshire’s future. We look forward to helping Maggie take her bipartisan approach to Washington, D.C. on behalf of working families.”

• EMILY's List - President of EMILY’s List Stephanie Schriock said, “Maggie Hassan is a principled leader with a proven record of working hard for New Hampshire’s women and families. Maggie was a tireless advocate for job creation, education and women’s health throughout her time in the State Senate. Her dedicated leadership is exactly what New Hampshire needs in a governor. EMILY’s List was with Maggie when she was first elected to the State Senate in 2004, and we are thrilled to stand with her strong campaign again today.”

• Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - HRC Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof said, “Maggie Hassan has stood with us and fought with us for years to ensure LGBTQ people are treated equally under the law. We’re proud to endorse Maggie Hassan and look forward to working with her to pass the Equality Act so that everyone, including LGBTQ people, can live free from fear of discrimination.”

• Planned Parenthood Action Fund - President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund Cecile Richards said, “Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to endorse Maggie Hassan for U.S. Senate. From her time in the State Senate to her work as Governor, Maggie has been a tireless advocate for women and families in New Hampshire and across the country."

Media

Kelly Ayotte

Support

Ending Spending Action Fund is a conservative super PAC that supported Kelly Ayotte in her 2016 bid for the U.S. Senate. In September 2015, the super PAC released an ad portraying Ayotte as a senator and mom concerned with the safety of America's citizens, especially children.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad supporting Ayotte

Ending Spending Action Fund ad suporting Ayotte in September 2015

One Nation "Protect" ad supporting Ayotte in October 2015

John Bolton SuperPAC "Strong and Proven"ad supporting Ayotte in October 2015

Kelly for New Hampshire "Hoops" ad supporting Ayotte in February 2016

"Making America Safe" - Security Is Strength PAC ad supporting Ayotte in April 2016

"Trust" - Ayotte ad defending her position on guns, released May 2016

"One of Us" - Ayotte ad, released June 2016

"Kelly Ayotte Supports NH Environment" - CRES ad supporting Ayotte

" We Know Kelly" - Ayotte ad defending her position on Medicare, released July 2016

"Batting" - Ayotte campaign ad, released August 2016

"Barbara" - Ayotte campaign ad, released August 2016

"Making America Safe" - Security is Strength PAC ad supporting Ayotte

"Our Family" - Ayotte campaign ad, released September 2016

"You Know Me" - Ayotte campaign ad, released September 2016

"Iran and Syria 1B" - John Bolton Super PAC ad supporting Ayotte, released September 2016

"Inspiration" - Ayotte campaign ad, released October 2016

"Leader" - Ayotte campaign ad, released October 2016

"Standing Up" - Ayotte campaign ad, released October 2016

Opposition

• The DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) launched Twitter and Facebook ads against Ayotte in December 2015 after she voted against a measure designed to ban gun sales to individuals on a terrorism watch list.

"Until Today" - Senate Majority PAC ad opposing Ayotte for supporting blocking SCOTUS nominees

"End Citizens United - Blocking" - End Citizens United ad opposing Ayotte for supporting blocking of SCOTUS nominees

"Kelly Ayotte: Wrong for New Hampshire Women" - Planned Parenthood Action ad opposing Ayotte

"Safety" - Americans for Responsible Solutions ad attacking Ayotte for her position on guns

"Worked" - Senate Majority PAC ad attacking Ayotte on Medicare

"Family" - AFSCME ad attacking Ayotte, released July 2016

"Mom" - AFSCME ad opposing Ayotte, released August 2016

"Town Hall" - End Citizens United ad opposing Ayotte, released August 2016

"Promise" - Independence USA PAC ad opposing Ayotte, released August 2016

"Vitamins" - Majority Forward ad opposing Ayotte, released August 2016

"Wrong" - Planned Parenthood ad opposing Ayotte, released September 2016

"In Washington" - DSCC ad opposing Ayotte, released October 2016

"Like Donald Trump, she's wrong." J Street ad opposing Ayotte and Trump, released October 2016

"Facts" - DSCC ad opposing Ayotte, released October 2016

"Court Martialed" - VoteVets ad opposing Ayotte, released October 2016

"No Principles" Priorities USA ad attacking Ayotte for supporting Trump

Maggie Hassan

Support

Hassan announces bid for 2016 Senate race on October 5, 2015

"Got Involved" - Hassan's first statewide TV ad, released May 2016

"Sad" - Senate Majority PAC ad defending Hassan, released June 2016

"Spark" - Hassan's second TV ad, released July 2016

"Trash" - Hassan campaign ad, released August 2016

"Six Times" - Hassan campaign ad, released September 2016

"Working" - Hassan campaign ad, released September 2016

"Absolutely" - Hassan ad attacking Ayotte for statements made during the debate

"Action" - Hassan campaign ad, released October 2016

"Absolutely v2" - Hassan campaign ad, released October 2016

"Listen" - Hassan campaign ad, released October 2016

Opposition

"Troubling" ad by Kelly for New Hampshire, opposing Hassan in December 2015

"Maggie's Big Government" U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad attacking Hassan

"100 Ways" U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad attacking Hassan

"Last" - One Nation ad attacking Hassan, released June 2016

"Troopers" - One Nation ad attacking Hassan, released June 2016

"Maybe" - NRSC ad opposing Hassan, released August 2016

"Melissa" - NRSC ad opposing Hassan, released August 2016

"Priorities" - Granite State Solutions PAC ad opposing Hassan

"Question" - NRSC ad opposing Hassan, released September 2016

"Inept" - NRSC ad opposing Hassan, released September 2016

"Bad Judgment" - Granite State Solutions PAC ad opposing Hassan, released September 2016

"Risk" - Granite State Solutions PAC ad opposing Hassan, released October 2016

"Main Streets" - Senate Majority PAC ad opposing Hassan, released October 2016

Campaign contributions

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

Kelly Ayotte

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

Maggie Hassan

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Source: This graphic was generated using data from the FEC.

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The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer, and campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Presidential impact

Presidential elections have a significant impact on congressional elections, the most obvious of which is increased voter interest and participation. In the last two decades, presidential elections have led to roughly 15 to 20 percent higher turnout rates than in the corresponding midterm elections. The following chart shows the disparity between voter turnout in presidential elections and midterms.

In the past decade, presidential elections have benefited the Democratic Party, while midterms have helped Republicans. The Democratic Party gained an average of 5 Senate seats in the last two presidential elections, and the Republican Party picked up an average of 7.5 seats in the last two midterms. The fact that 2016 was a presidential election cycle was a cause of increased Republican vulnerability in the Senate.

Election history

2014

See also: United States Senate elections in New Hampshire, 2014

On November 4, 2014, incumbent Jeanne Shaheen won re-election to the United States Senate. She defeated Scott Brown (R) in the general election.

U.S. Senate, New Hampshire General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jeanne Shaheen Incumbent	51.5%	251,184
	Republican	Scott Brown	48.2%	235,347
	N/A	Scatter	0.3%	1,628
Total Votes				488,159
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

2010

On November 2, 2010, Ayotte was elected to the United States Senate. She defeated Paul W. Hodes (D), Chris Booth (Independent) and Ken Blevens (Libertarian).

U.S. Senate, New Hampshire General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Kelly Ayotte	60.1%	273,218
	Democratic	Paul W. Hodes	36.8%	167,545
	Independent	Chris Booth	2%	9,194
	Libertarian	Ken Blevens	1%	4,753
Total Votes				454,710

Important dates and deadlines

See also: New Hampshire elections, 2016

The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in New Hampshire in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016
Deadline	Event type	Event description
June 1, 2016	Ballot access	Filing period opens for all candidates
June 10, 2016	Ballot access	Filing period closes for primary election
August 10, 2016	Ballot access	Nomination papers for independent candidates and political organizations must be filed with supervisors of the checklist for certification
August 24, 2016	Campaign finance	First primary election campaign finance report due
August 31, 2016	Ballot access	Deadline for supervisors of the checklist to certify nomination papers
September 7, 2016	Ballot access	Deadline for independent candidates and political organizations to file nomination papers with the secretary of state
September 7, 2016	Campaign finance	Second primary election campaign finance report due
September 13, 2016	Election date	Primary election
September 21, 2016	Campaign finance	Last primary election campaign finance report due
October 19, 2016	Campaign finance	First general election campaign finance report due
November 2, 2016	Campaign finance	Second general election campaign finance report due
November 8, 2016	Election date	General election
November 16, 2016	Campaign finance	Last general election campaign finance report due
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State, "Political Calendar 2016-2017," accessed October 28, 2015

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire, 2016
• United States Senate elections, 2016
• Kelly Ayotte
• Maggie Hassan

Footnotes

For information about public policy issues in the 2016 elections, see: Public policy in the 2016 elections!

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New Hampshire's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Maggie Hassan (D)

Jeanne Shaheen (D)

Representatives

District 1

Chris Pappas (D)

District 2

Maggie Goodlander (D)

Democratic Party (4)