US primaries: Governor Chris Sununu advances to New Hampshire midterms

New Hampshire voters have pit incumbent Governor Chris Sununu against Tom Sherman for the upcoming elections for the Governor’s office. The Granite State held its primary polls on September 13, 2022.

Chris Sununu, known to be a moderate Republican, faced a crowded primary race on Tuesday. He beat candidates like Karen Testerman, Thaddeus Riley and Julian Acciard. Sununu won the primaries, securing more than 83,000 votes (78%).

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Until late last year, New Hampshire’s Republican Governor Chris Sununu was widely expected to run for the US Senate, taking on Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, news agency Associated Press reported.

Instead, he opted to seek a fourth two-year term as governor, dealing a major blow to Republicans who had hoped he could help them retake control of the Senate.

Although he faced intense pressure to run for the Senate, Sununu insists he can have a bigger and more direct impact as governor than as a senator. And despite efforts by former President Donald Trump’s ex-campaign manager to recruit a challenger, none of the other five Republicans on the ballot Tuesday posed a serious threat.

Chris Sununu’s decision to not run for the US Senate in New Hampshire encouraged nearly a dozen candidates to compete for the open seat.

In a diverse field of Republican candidates for the US Senate, Sununu offered his last-minute endorsement to Chuck Morse, who is currently New Hampshire’s state Senate president.

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Retired Army Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, who is considered to be a frontrunner, received heavy criticism from the Republican governor. News agency Associated Press reported that the GOP was worried about Sununu saying Bolduc is “not a serious candidate” and a conspiracy theorist.

New Hampshire’s two Congressional districts are also on the primary ballot on Tuesday, with both Democratic candidates running unopposed.