Trump-Backed Candidates Win in New Hampshire Primaries
Two candidates President Donald Trump endorsed have won their New Hampshire primaries, setting up contests in November that could oust Democrats from Congress.
Bryant “Corky” Messner won the GOP nominee slot for the U.S. Senate, defeating Retired Brig. General Donald Bolduc and two other long shot candidates and setting up a contest against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-NH) bid for a third term.
“We’re not going to celebrate, we’re going to unify,” he told supporters at a gathering organized by the Trump campaign, according to the Associated Press. “I’m not celebrating anything, I’m going to work, because we have a big mission ahead of us.”
AP reported on the now-Senate primary candidate:
The 63-year-old Army veteran and attorney cast himself as a political outsider, saying he gained leadership experience in the military and private sector after founding a Denver law firm that has expanded to eight other cities. Bolduc, his main opponent, tried to use that outsider label against him, contrasting his deep roots to New Hampshire with Messner’s relatively recent arrival from Colorado.
After owning a vacation home in Wolfeboro for many years, Messner only made it his permanent residence about two years ago. But he said voters rarely brought that up to him, and that his background and ideas won them over.
Messner poured nearly $3.8 million of his own money into his campaign, making up nearly 90% of the total he raised as of Aug. 19. He had $2.5 million on hand, compared to Shaheen, who had raised $15.6 million by that date and had $7.2 million left. Both are likely to rake in substantial sums raised nationally before the general election, however.
“They better not underestimate me,” Messner said. “We are coming for Jeanne Shaheen.”
A former Trump administration official at the State Department will now take on Democrat U.S. Rep Chris Pappas in November.
Matt Mowers, 31, defeated Matt Mayberry, a 55-year-old Air Force veteran and realtor, on the GOP side in the 1st District, according to AP.
Mowers’ platform includes shifting production of supplies to fight the coronavirus from China to the United States and fighting illegal immigration.
“Voters across the First District have severe buyer’s remorse with Chris Pappas, who campaigned as an independent voice and then sadly went to Washington and voted with Nancy Pelosi and her liberal agenda 100 percent of the time,” Mowers said in the AP report. “I’m humbled at the support from Granite Staters, and pledge to offer a new vision of leadership that will deliver results for middle class families.”
“In the other House race, Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, seeking her fifth term representing the 2nd District, easily defeated Joseph Mirzoeff,” AP reported.
Kuster will compete with Steve Negron in a rematch of their 2018 race. Negron beat Lynne Blankenbeker, a combat nurse and Navy Reserve captain from Concord, in the Republican primary.
Trump did not endorse Negron but he has said he is a supporter of the president.
“We now continue the fight to unseat Ann Kuster and reform dysfunctional Washington,” Negron said in a statement. “Tonight’s win demonstrated that New Hampshire wants more from representation.”
“The hard work doesn’t stop here,” Negron said. “We need to hit the ground running to bring New Hampshire’s voice back to Washington; defending our small state voice, law and order, and confronting the lies of the Pelosi/Kuster agenda.”
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