The Trump campaign is pulling back from New Hampshire, as the team thinks the state is no longer "winnable," according to a top Trump volunteer in Massachusetts. The decision could have ripple effects on the rest of the November races in the once-considered battleground state.
The news came after Tom Mountain, who had served as one of several vice chairs for the former president's effort in Massachusetts, wrote in an email to Trump volunteers in the state that "the campaign has determined that New Hampshire is no longer a battleground state," and advised supporters to instead direct their attention to Pennsylvania.
Mountain claimed in the email the campaign has been forced to "shift strategy" after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Kamala Harris replaced him at the top of the ticket, The Independent reports.
"So for those who were active in the NH ground campaign in 2016 and 2020, and expected to do the same after Labor Day, the simple question is... what are we to do? Go to Pennsylvania," he reportedly wrote.
"The nearest battleground state. This is a must-win state. If we lose Pennsylvania we lose the election," he continued.
But as the elections quickly near, a strengthened Democratic hold at the top of the party's ticket, coupled with decreased GOP resources, could have some consequences on the rest of the races in New Hampshire, particularly the U.S House and the Gubernatorial contests.
One of the most high-profile races in the Granite State will happen in the 1st Congressional District, which covers parts of the south and east of the state, such as Hillsborough, Rockingham and Merrimack.
This District is one of 37 with a Democratic incumbent or an open seat the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is targeting. That seat is currently being held by Democrat Chris Pappas, who won his reelection in 2022 against Republican Karoline Leavitt, at 54%-45%.
Although primaries are not being held until Sept. 10, Pappas is favored to win the contest once again.
Meanwhile, New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District is one of 44 open races for the House, where an incumbent is not running for re-election. Democrat Annie Kuster has held the seat, which covers the western half of the state and the North Country, for more than a decade. But her retirement has a range of GOP hopefuls liking their chances this year, according to the New Hampshire Public Radio.
The seat is likely to remain Democrat, according to the Cook Political Report, with Maggie Goodlander, a former senior White House aid for President Joe Biden, and Colin Van Ostern, a board director for the New Hampshire Women's Foundation, emerging as the top two Democratic names in the race.
A similar question is posed in the gubernatorial elections, where Gov. Chris Sununu will not be seeking re-election.
This race is considered a toss-up, but Democrats are expected to have a slight advantage. While Rep. former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte is the better-known candidate for her time in Congress, she hasn't been on the ballot since 2016, and New Hampshire has become modestly bluer over the past eight years.
Abortion rights is also an issue that is more salient for voters in New Hampshire, with its low levels of religiosity, than in some other states. Finally, since this is the Democrats' best shot at flipping a governorship this year, the party is likely to devote resources to New Hampshire, according to the U.S. News and World Report.
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