A new poll released on Thursday shows incumbent Republican New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte up eight points over her potential Democratic rival Cinde Warmington, a new poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows.
Republicans hold a slim margin in governorships nationwide, and the 2026 cycle features a slew of open-seat races, heightening the stakes for both major parties in contests like in swing state New Hampshire, where recent trends can split between state and federal outcomes, The New York Times reports.
Newsweek reached out to both candidates via email for comment on Thursday.
Why It Matters
As midterms approach, Democrats and Republicans are vying for control of not only governor’s mansions, but the Senate and the House. The GOP holds a narrow lead in the House, 217-12, and a 53-47 edge in the Senate.
What To Know
According to the poll, Ayotte leads prospective Democratic nominee Warmington 47 percent to 39 percent. The poll shows that 4 percent would pick another candidate and 10 percent do not know.
Ayotte’s favorability rating is 43 percent compared to a 41 percent unfavorable rating, while 14 percent are neutral and 2 percent don’t know enough to say. Warmington’s favorability is 16 percent versus a 22 percent unfavorable rating. The poll shows that 15 percent are neutral and 47 percent don’t know enough to say.
The poll surveyed 1,295 New Hampshire residents from April 17 to April 21, with a 2.9 percent margin of error.
Warmington, a former state executive councilor, launched her 2026 bid in February in a relatively open Democratic field, initially positioning her campaign against Ayotte on cost-of-living and immigration-related facility issues while pledging to oppose a sales or income tax.
The Granite State also faces a competitive Senate race, as Chris Pappas is viewed as the likely front-runner for Democrats, and former Senator John Sununu, who held the seat nearly two decades ago, is squaring off with former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown in the GOP primary.
What Happens Next
The state primary election is set for September 8.
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