(The Center Square) – Incumbent New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan outraised Republican rival Don Bolduc in the most recent quarter, according to new FEC disclosures, but Bolduc is benefiting from outside spending by GOP groups.
Hassan raised $9.6 million in the three months ending Sept. 30, compared to Bolduc’s $972,000, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures filed by Saturday’s quarterly deadline.
As of Sept. 30, Hassan had $4.8 million in cash available compared to Bolduc’s $768,000, with less than a month until the two square off in the midterm elections in a contest that could help decide control of the U.S. Senate, where the 50-50 split is tipped to Democrats by the White House.
In a statement, Hassan’s campaign boasted that her latest fundraising haul included thousands of individual contributions from supporters, more than 95% of which were $100 or less.
“While Mitch McConnell’s super PAC and national Republicans are pouring in nearly $60 million attacking Senator Hassan, our campaign’s grassroots support from every corner of our state shows that Granite Staters are ready to reelect Senator Hassan,” Aaron Jacobs, Hassan’s campaign manager, said in a statement.
“Her record of delivering real results for New Hampshire stands in stark contrast to Don Bolduc’s extreme, out-of-step agenda to ban abortion nationwide, overturn our elections, and end Social Security and Medicare,” he added.
Hassan, a former New Hampshire governor who defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte in a narrow race in 2016 to win the seat. She is seeking another four-year term by highlighting Bolduc’s support for former Republican President Donald Trump’s divisive policies and claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
Bolduc, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, narrowly edged out New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse, a moderate, in the Sept. 13 state primary to win the GOP nomination.
“Inflation continues soaring because of the misguided policy decisions of President Biden and his chief accomplice, Sen. Maggie Hassan,” Bolduc said in a recent radio ad. “With winter approaching, too many in the Granite State are facing decisions between heating and eating, a situation no one in the greatest country in the world should ever find themselves in.”
While Hassan has outraised Bolduc, the GOP challenger has benefitted from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending that has helped him compete with Hassan in the political ad wars.
The Senate Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Alabama, has reserved tens of millions of dollars in political ad spending ahead of the general election.
With recent polls in the Granite State showing Biden’s approval rating dwindling in the low 30s, Republicans view New Hampshire as a key battleground in the fight to win control of the Senate and House in the Nov. 8 election.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the U.S. Senate seat as “lean Democrat” in the upcoming general election.
Over the weekend, Bolduc participated in several events with former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed Bolduc’s campaign less than a week after announcing that she was leaving the Democratic party over policy differences.
In a social media post, Gabbard said she is supporting Bolduc’s campaign because he will defend “fundamental freedoms” that are “under attack” by Democrats and will “stand up to those in Washington who seek to undermine our God-given civil liberties enshrined in the Constitution.”
