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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 14 september 2022
Midterm primaries wrap up with fresh test of GOP's future

By WILL WEISSERT and HOL- win their general elections.
LY RAMER Republicans in New Hamp-
Associated Press shire and around the coun-
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A try scoff at the notion that
staunchly conservative re- being a Trump loyalist — or
tired Army general is vying not — could be a decid-
for the chance to take on ing general election factor,
Democratic Sen. Maggie noting that the still unpopu-
Hassan of New Hampshire lar Biden will be a drag on
in a contest many Repub- his party regardless.
licans hoped would be The New Hampshire Re-
among their best chances publican Party has tweeted
to flip a Senate seat this that Hassan "votes with Joe
year. Biden 96.4% of the time."
But the prospect of Don Many of the same dynam-
Bolduc winning Tuesday's ics swirling around the for-
GOP Senate primary has mer president are at work in
dampened those ambi- New Hampshire's 2nd Con-
tions. In a state that Presi- gressional District, where
dent Joe Biden carried by pro-Trump candidate Bob
more than 7 percentage Burns is among several
points, Bolduc has cam- Republicans vying for the
paigned on a platform that party's nomination to face
includes lies that Donald Voters cast their ballots, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, at a polling station in Derry, N.H. five-term incumbent Dem-
Trump won the 2020 elec- Associated Press ocratic Rep. Annie Kuster.
tion and conspiracy theo- In New Hampshire's oth-
ries about vaccines. has been able to make in- crowded field that includes year building their elec- er congressional district,
That underscores the sense roads by positioning himself Chuck Morse, the more tion-year message around which encompasses Man-
of disappointment among as an ally of Trump and his moderate president of Biden and his management chester and the southeast-
some national Republicans election falsehoods. the New Hampshire state of the economy, particular- ern part of the state, sev-
that Gov. Chris Sununu, a "That is because the theme Senate, who has been ly soaring prices. But Demo- eral Republicans are vying
relatively popular moder- of his campaign and mes- endorsed by Sununu. The crats are now entering the to challenge Democratic
ate who likely could have saging is very similar to governor called Morse "the final stretch with a sense of Rep. Chris Pappas, who
posed more of a threat to former President Trump," candidate to beat Sen. cautious optimism as ap- could also face a poten-
Hassan, chose instead to Levesque said. "If it mirrors Hassan this November and proval of Biden steadies tially close general election
run for reelection. The GOP the former president, it's the candidate Sen. Hassan and inflation has slowed for reelection contest — once
is grappling with the possi- been effective." is most afraid to face." the second straight month, he learns who his opponent
bility of again nominating a Federal and state officials Sununu feels differently even as it remains high. will be.
candidate who is popular and Trump's own attorney about Bolduc, whom he's The Supreme Court's deci- The GOP field includes for-
with the party's base but general have said there is called a conspiracy theo- sion overturning a wom- mer TV broadcaster Gail
struggles to broaden sup- no credible evidence the rist while warning that Bold- an's constitutional right to Huff Brown, wife of Scott
port ahead of the Novem- election was tainted. The uc could have a harder an abortion may provide Brown, a former U.S. sena-
ber general election. former president's allega- time winning the general Democrats with the ener- tor from Massachusetts and
Republican primary vot- tions of fraud were also election. gy they need to turn back ambassador to New Zea-
ers have similarly chosen roundly rejected by courts, Bolduc doesn't seem both- the defeats that historically land during the Trump ad-
conservative candidates including by judges Trump ered by Sununu's criticism. accompany a new presi- ministration. Also running is
this year in moderate or appointed. He's called the governor "a dent's first midterms. Matt Mowers, who won the
Democratic-leaning states Known for kicking off the Chinese communist sym- Senate Republican leader district's congressional 2020
including Massachusetts primary season during pres- pathizer." Bolduc hasn't Mitch McConnell acknowl- Republican nomination
and Maryland, potentially idential campaigns, New been formally endorsed edged the challenge last and was a Trump adminis-
putting competitive races Hampshire is instead mark- by Trump, who propelled month, saying his party tration State Department
out of the party's reach. ing the conclusion of the many primary candidates may be more likely to end adviser.
Neil Levesque, director of nominating process for this to victory in key races Democrats' narrow control But the candidate closest
the New Hampshire Insti- year's midterms. There are throughout the summer. of the House than the Sen- to Trump may be Karoline
tute of Politics, said Bolduc also contests on Tuesday But the former president ate. He bemoaned "can- Leavitt, who worked in his
is a type of candidate who in Delaware and Rhode Is- has called Bolduc a "strong didate quality" as a factor White House's press office
would have struggled to land. guy." that could sway some out- and has also campaigned
succeed in GOP politics be- But the U.S. Senate race The final primary contests comes in his chamber. with Republican Texas Sen.
fore Trump's rise. He's never in New Hampshire is per- are unfolding at a dramat- Some Democratic groups, Ted Cruz.
held elected office and haps most revealing about ic moment in the midterm meanwhile, have spon- "Her compass always points
had just $75,000 in cash on the direction of the GOP. campaign. Republicans sored primary ads promot- to Trump," said Dante
hand last week. Still, Bolduc Bolduc is competing in a have spent much of the ing Bolduc, predicting he'll Scala, a University of New
make an easier November Hampshire
political
sci-
LIKE US ON opponent for Hassan. That's ence professor. He added,
in reference to the former
consistent with Democrat-
ic-aligned organizations president's "Make America
backing pro-Trump candi- Great Again" campaign
dates in key races around slogan, "She, in a very kind
the country — a strategy of crisp, sharp, confident
some have criticized, argu- way, will say the most
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ ing that it could backfire if MAGA thing that can be
those candidates go on to said in any situation."q