Governor Maggie Hassan (D-NH) has announced that she will run for Senate seat currently occupied by Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). This presents a potential pick-up for the Democrats as Hassan is a top-tier candidate who has won both of her gubernatorial elections with majority support. Democrats need to pick up four seats with a Democratic Vice President or five seats with a Republican Vice President in order to capture the Senate majority. Republicans are defending twenty-four of the thirty-four Senate seats up for grabs.
Hassan announced her candidacy in an online video. She explained her reasoning for running, “”Now to continue working to realize our state’s potential, we need a response from Washington that meets the progress we’re making here at home, and that’s exactly why I’m running for the United States Senate.”
WMUR first reported her run.
Senator Ayotte released a statement welcoming Governor Hassan to the race and saying she looks “forward to a very spirited campaign. We have lots to talk about, including confronting the challenges facing our state and how we can best deliver results for New Hampshire families.”