Could Republicans flip New Hampshire Senate seat? Sununu’s got a shot

Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters came to New Hampshire on Sept. 13 with a pledge: He will invest "whatever it takes" to win the U.S. Senate race between former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu and Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

“We think these are some of our best pickup opportunities in the entire country, and so we’re willing to make the investment,” Gruters said at the state’s GOP unity breakfast. “That’s why I’m here. That’s why we’re rallying the troops.”

New Hampshire might not be the first state that comes to mind when thinking of a GOP pickup opportunity. After all, the state has not had a Republican senator in nearly a decade, nor has it voted for a Republican in a presidential election since 2000.

But Republicans are investing millions in the race this year in the historically purple state. Polls are showing a tight margin, and some national forecasters and pundits are joining the RNC in thinking Republicans have a chance of flipping the seat, currently held by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, thanks in part to the popularity of the Sununu family name.

Still, Sununu will have to contend with an unfavorable national environment as President Donald…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/