It’s Ayotte Vs. Craig For New Hampshire’s Corner Office: 2024 Primary Results

CONCORD, NH — While there were competitive races for governor, Congress, Executive Council seats, and a few state Senate and state Representative races, the lack of competition in hundreds of down-ballot races appeared to weigh down primary turnout a bit in some parts of the state.

Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-Nashua, who led in all of the polls since announcing her run, easily bested former Senate President Chuck Morse, as well as four other Republican candidates, by a more than two-to-one margin.

“Tonight demonstrates that we are unified as a party and we have the momentum to win in November,” Ayotte said. “Together, we will keep New Hampshire on the Sununu path. After eight years under Gov. Sununu’s leadership, New Hampshire is the best place in the country to live, work, and raise a family. I will keep our state moving in the right direction and will work to ensure our future is even brighter. As Governor, I will fight every day to keep our wonderful state safe, prosperous, and free.”

Senate President Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, congratulated Ayotte, saying he knew she would tackle the state’s serious issues.

“I want to congratulate Sen. Ayotte and look forward to working with her to keep N.H. safe, to fight illegal immigration, to keep taxes low, and grow our economy,” he said.

State Sen. Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford, also congratulated Ayotte, calling her victory “decisive,” saying she was proud to have supported her.

“I encourage all freedom-loving Granite Staters to unite behind Kelly's common-sense agenda to keep New Hampshire moving on the right path,” she said.

On the Democratic side, former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig eked out a win over District 2 Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, D-Concord. AP called the race around 10 p.m. Jon Kiper, a restauranteur from the Seacoast, came in a distant third, earning about 10 percent of the vote.

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Craig thanked voters and her supporters for all their hard work. She said she loved the state and would work to strengthen its communities and create new opportunities for everyone to succeed.

“I know that together we can tackle this housing crisis, strengthen our public schools, create new family-sustaining jobs, and expand access to reproductive health care,” she said. “Granite State families cannot afford to let Kelly Ayotte become our next Governor. She is the most extreme threat to reproductive freedoms our state has ever seen and is too dangerous for New Hampshire. But I know that with all of your hard work and support we will win in November and create a brighter future for our state.”

Warmington said while the campaign was over, she pledged to “fight my heart out to help make sure she is our next governor.” While they had disagreements, she said, they both loved New Hampshire and would work to improve it. Warmington thanked her husband, family, and campaign team for all their work.

“While we didn’t get the results we wanted tonight, I am so proud of the campaign we ran and I’m grateful for the support we earned across the Granite State,” Warmington said. “I’m proud that we stood up to make housing more affordable for every New Hampshire family, to Frank Edulblut and his assault on our public schools, to get rid of out of state trash and stop the garbage coming into our state, and you better believe that I am proud of our fight to protect reproductive freedom.”

Libertarian candidate Stephen Villee will also be on the ballot in November.

Just before 9 p.m., with about a quarter of the vote counted, AP called Maggie Goodlander the winner of the 2nd Congressional District Democrat primary over Colin Van Ostern by a nearly two-to-one margin.

In a statement, outgoing U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-NH, who backed Van Ostern, congratulated Goodlander, saying when she first won, she too emerged from a spirited primary and it made her a stronger candidate.

“It’s time for Democrats, Independents and reasonable Republicans to unite behind Maggie and ensure we defeat MAGA extremism in November,” Kuster said. “Together, we must stand up for hardworking New Hampshire families by supporting reproductive freedom, lowering the costs of childcare and housing, and ensuring all Granite Staters can thrive. I’m committed to these fights, which is why I will be proudly supporting Maggie Goodlander in November.”

In the Republican 2nd Congressional District primary, Lily Tang Williams, in her second run for the seat, beat Vikram Mansharamani, Bill Hamlen, and 10 other candidates.

U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH, had token opposition in Kevin Rondeau and won easily with 95 percent of the vote in the 1st Congressional District.

On the Republican side, former Executive Councilor Russell Prescott held a slim lead over Joseph Levasseur, an alderman from Manchester, with about three-quarters of the vote counted. Hollie Noveletsky, an industrialist, was about 1,000 votes behind Prescott.

In The Field

The polls in Concord, Manchester, and Merrimack were brisk at times and slow at others. Many of Concord’s 10 wards were teeming with volunteers and campaign signs, with candidates visiting Wards 5 and 10, the two historically busiest in the city.

Colin Van Ostern, a Democrat running for the open 2nd Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, voted about an hour after the polls opened at the Christa McAuliffe Elementary School. He said he was grateful to have friends and family at the polls supporting him.

“It’s just a great day for our democracy,” Van Ostern said.

Van Ostern said his pitch was New Hampshire deserved a leader in Washington “who was in it for us.” He called the race “exciting” but would not predict the result. When asked if there was anything he would have done differently, Van Ostern did not answer. He was pleased to get every district mayor’s endorsement and thankful for the hundreds of people holding signs and supporting his campaign.

After essentially scaring off competition for the open seat after Kuster and others endorsed him, which some likened to a coronation, Van Ostern had to fend off a multi-million dollar effort by Maggie Goodlander, a native of Nashua, who had not lived in the district for many years and owned property in Portsmouth, which is located in the 1st Congressional District, earning her a carpetbagger moniker.

Around 8:30 a.m., 160 voters had cast ballots in Ward 5. By 4:30 p.m., close to 1,100 participated.

Goodlander did not respond to requests from Patch about her plans on Election Day.

At the Ward 1 polls in Manchester on Tuesday afternoon, state Sen. Keith Murphy, a Republican, left, and state Rep. Christine Seibert, a Democrat, left, stand outside. When the photo was taken, Republican candidates Kelly Ayotte and Chuck Morse had no signs or presence at the polls. Credit: Jeffrey Hastings

Vikram Mansharamani, one of more than a dozen Republicans also seeking the open 2nd Congressional District seat, dropped by Ward 10 to speak with voters.

Mansharamani said his message was resonating with voters, including a diverse collection of Republicans and undeclareds around the district, including a lot of endorsements. Rather than talking a lot, he said he started by listening and then worked to create solutions to fix the problems in Washington instead of just complaining about them.

“That’s what I think voters want,” he said. “It’s pretty simple. And so that’s what we are doing.”

Of the top tier of candidates in 2024, Mansharamani said he was the only lifelong Republican, which also appeared to be making a difference in the field.

Another hot race in Bow, Concord, and Hopkinton was the open District 15 state Senate race, which turned nasty in the waning days.

Angela Brennan, a selectwoman from Bow and first-term state Representative, sent out a shocking mailer as well as posted online ads with a doctored photo of County Commissioner Tara Reardon, the wife of former Concord Mayor Jim Bouley. The image was darkened, ala the controversial TIME Magazine O.J. Simpson mugshot, almost making Reardon look like the emperor of the Star Wars saga.

In her attack, Brennan claimed a new bill aimed at limiting conflicts of interests between elected officials and lobbying, HB 1388, which takes effect in January 2025, would require Reardon to recuse herself from anything Bouley was working on as a lobbyist. Rebecca McWilliams, another state representative and attorney from Concord also vying for the seat, requested an interpretive ruling from the Legislative Ethics Committee in late August. The committee plans to meet about the issue later this month.

In materials fending off the attack, the campaign said the Office of Legislative Services said Reardon could “vote on everything.”

At the polls, Reardon said the move by Brennan was “unfortunate” and something she had never seen in a Democrat primary. The race, she said, was no place for that kind of personalizing of attacks and misrepresenting facts and “reality.” Reardon said, unsolicited, the campaign received a boost in fundraising, outreach, and letters denouncing the mailers and ads from her supporters.

“The consensus was, there’s no place for that in our politics here,” she said. “That’s unnecessary.”

The candidate said the public had “real concerns,” especially about housing, the economy, and abortion rights. She was also happy with her race.

“I think the voters were ready to vote, in this case,” she said.

After the primary, she said, there will be time for more campaigning and outreach to voters.

Over at Ward 10, McWilliams was hanging out with supporters and was confident about her race. She said she left it all on the field and did everything they could to win.

“I think we ran a great campaign for four months,” she said.

McWilliams said she was flattered by some of the things she heard during the campaign, including a media outlet mentioning the women involved in the race could easily be future gubernatorial candidates. A group chat between her and her campaign staff at all 12 polling locations, where they shared pictures and thoughts, also kept things lively.

“That is keeping us buoyed and feeling good today,” McWilliams said. “Everyone has been so supportive … it’s just fun.”

McWilliams said there was little she would have done differently. More money would have been good. But the campaign “played out in a unique way” and allowed voters to get to know her.

“It allowed me to be myself,” she said.

A photo of an ad on the author’s Facebook feed, paid for by Angela Brennan, featured a darkened photo of one of her two opponents, Tara Reardon. Credit: Tony Schinella

McWilliams was critical of the ad, saying the women should not be attacking each other, especially since they were essentially on the same team, but got flak for it. The picture, she said, distracted from the ethics issue and the voter’s interpretation of the law.

“It was unfortunate,” she said.

Brennan did not respond to a request by Patch on where she would be on Election Day.

The winner faces off against Republican Pam Ean, who ran unopposed.

Another of the state’s hottest Senate races was in District 23, between incumbent Bill Gannon and challenger Emily Phillips.

The polls outside the James Mastricola Elementary School in Merrimack on Tuesday morning. Credit: Jeffrey Hastings

Mike Liberty, a Democrat running for the District 2 Executive Council seat, considered a safe Democrat hold, was also at Ward 10 campaigning for votes.

He was pleased with the great team the campaign put together, although there were many small things he would have done differently. It is always about “building a system that works.” His business background allowed him to pivot and fix things if needed. People are fallible, he said, and anything can be improved, including mistakes.

If he or his opponent, Karen Liot Hill of Lebanon, wins, it will be the first time since 2011 that a non-Concord resident has held the seat.

“I’m excited to jump in,” Liberty said.

Hill did not respond to an invitation by Patch to be covered during her race.

The secretary of state will run audits on voting machines from around the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

VotingWorks Ballot Counting Devices used in Londonderry, Loudon, and Winchester will be audited Wednesday, while AccuVote Ballot County Devices from Dover Ward 3, Laconia Ward 2, Lebanon Ward 2, Litchfield, Milford, Sandown, and Walpole will be audited on Thursday.

New Hampshire Results

92% to 100% Reporting. Updated at 9:40 a.m. p.m. on Sept. 11. * AP predicted winner

Governor (Democrat)

Joyce Craig 55,897 *

Cinde Warmington 49,257

Jon Kiper 11,246

Governor (Republican)

Kelly Ayotte 82,066 *

Chuck Morse 44,674

Shaun Fife 819

Robert McClory 790

Frank Staples 753

Richard McMenamon II 495

1st Congressional District (Democrat)

Chris Pappas 53,205 *

Kevin Rondeau 2,698

1st Congressional District (Republican)

Russell Prescott 16,931 *

Hollie Noveletsky 15,239

Joseph Kelly Levasseur 14,795

Chris Bright 8,536

Walter McFarlane III 5,153

Max Abramson 2,219

Andy Martin 1,523

2nd Congressional District (Democrat)

Maggie Goodlander 36,625 *

Colin Van Ostern 22,085

2nd Congressional District (Republican)

Lily Tang Williams 19,654 *

Vikram Mansharamani 15,067

Bill Hamlen 8,952

Paul Wagner 2,144

Casey Crane 1,794

Randall Clark 1,676

William Harvey 1,607

Jay Mercer 1,390

Jason Riddle 770

Robert D'Arcy 646

Michael Anthony Callis 563

Tom Alciere 561

Gerard Beloin 489

District 2 Executive Council (Democrat)

Karen Liot Hill 17,305 *

Mike Liberty 13,549

District 2 Executive Council (Republican)

Kim Stathdee 8,513

Mary Rose Deak 6,638

District 4 Executive Council (Republicans)

John Stephen 8,627

Robert Burns 5,273

Terese Bastarache 3,834

John Reagan 3,491

Ross Terrio 1,167

Ryan Terrell 856

District 5 Executive Council (Democrat)

Melanie Levesque 10,008 *

Shoshanna Kelly 6,441

District 15 State Senate (Democrat)

Tara Reardon 3,537 *

Rebecca McWilliams 3,169

Angela Brennan 1,961

District 20 State Senate (Democrat)

Pat Long 2,537 *

Sean Parr 1,143

District 23 State Senate (Republican)

Bill Gannon 5,782 *

Emily Phillips 2,845

Also Read

• What The Gubernatorial Candidates Have Said – And Not Said – About Housing
• NH-01 GOP Profile: Prescott Says Experience Gives Him The Edge
• The Candidates For The 2nd Congressional District, On The Issues
• Birdsell: The 1st Congressional District Matters — Vote Noveletsky
• New Hampshire Secretary Of State Predicts Light Turnout Tuesday
• Analysis: NH 2nd CD Debate Debacle Adds To Van Ostern's Very Bad Week
• NH-01 GOP Primary Profile: Levasseur Says ‘Trump Or Bust!' In Primary Battle
• Analysis: Cringeworthy Craig Dominated By Warmington In Democrat Debate
• NH-01 GOP Profile: Noveletsky 'Aiming High' In Primary Race
• It's 'Diner Table Economics!' With Lily Tang Williams: Watch
• NH-01 GOP Primary Profile: Bright Brings West Point Background To Race
• GOP Gov Group Touts Craig Vs. Warmington Trash Talk
• Craig, Warmington Earn 'F' On Gun Rights From NRA
• It's 'Diner Table Economics!' With Kelly Ayotte: Watch
• Beyond Court Challenge, Next New Hampshire Governor May Decide On Protecting Girls Sports
• Harris Isn't Only Democrat With Confusing Stance On Border Wall
• Kuster Targets Goodlander In NH 2nd Congressional District Democrat Primary
• Wide-Open NH 1st District Race Field Means Unknown McFarlane May Have A Shot
• Ayotte, Morse Mix It Up In New Hampshire GOP Primary Debate
• GOP's Phillips Ousted From House Leadership Position After Endorsing Newmarket Democrat
• Airtag Tech Takes Classic 'Stolen Campaign Signs' Story To New Level In NH CD 2
• Craig Injects Oxy Issue Into NH Democrat Gov Primary, Warmington Hits Back
• It's 'Diner Table Economics!' With Chuck Morse: Watch
• It's 'Diner Table Economics!' With Vikram Mansharamani: Watch
• Craig Lashes Out Over 'Misleading' Ad Targeting Her Record In Manchester
• After Weeks Of Attacks By Democrats, Ayotte Targets 'Craigville' In New TV Ad
• Amid 2020 Riots, Goodlander Backed Cash For 'Defund The Police,' Pro-Reparation Orgs

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