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It was a wild week in the NH GOP Senate primary. A Mitch McConnell-aligned super PAC swooped in to dump an “unprecedented” $4 million in ads “in support of state Senate President Chuck Morse's candidacy” who “is trailing by double digits in polls” behind Don Bolduc. McConnell’s intervention was not well received by the other Republicans in the race, with Kevin Smith slamming Morse for being “Mitch McConnell’s guy.” The next day after news broke about the new PAC, former president Donald Trump caused even more chaos and “praised U.S. Senate Republican hopeful Don Bolduc of Stratham as a ‘strong guy, tough guy’” and told a conservative radio host John Fredericks that he’s “looking at” the race “very strongly.” With eleven days left until the primary and two debates scheduled for next week, expect even more chaos and fighting. Mitch McConnell Tries to Save Chuck Morse’s Failing Campaign. Less than two weeks before the NH GOP Senate primary, a Mitch McConnell-aligned super PAC has jumped in to save Chuck Morse’s failing Senate campaign with an “unprecedented” $4 million dollar ad buy backing Morse. The ads “emphasize Morse's position on border security” even though over the summer, the Union Leader reported that “Morse's landscaping firm did not join E-Verify, the voluntary, federal program that tracks illegal immigrants for private employers.”
Union Leader: GOP establishment steps in with massive ad buy for Morse. As retired Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc commands the field in the GOP primary race for U.S. Senate, the national Republican establishment has formed a Super PAC to spend $[4] million in support of state Senate President Chuck Morse's candidacy. Les Williamson, a former staffer for the National Republican Senatorial Committee who also worked for a Mitch McConnell political action committee, created the White Mountain PAC of Houston, Texas.
New York Times Live: National Republicans Plan TV Ads In New Hampshire To Undercut The Far-Right Front-Runner. National Republicans are planning a $4 million television advertising blitz against the front-runner in New Hampshire’s Republican Senate primary, who establishment party leaders believe is too far to the right to win the general election.
Politico: Republican super PAC drops $4M in New Hampshire Senate primary. National Republicans appear to be dropping millions of dollars in New Hampshire’s Senate primary, a sign that the party is intervening in a race to prevent a far-right candidate from becoming the nominee.
NBC News: Meet the Press: New GOP Group Jumps Into New Hampshire Senate Primary. A new GOP super PAC is jumping into the New Hampshire Senate primary, boosting state Sen. Chuck Morse over far-right retired Brigadier Gen. Don Bolduc. White Mountain PAC has reserved more than $4 million in airtime in the Granite State, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact. At least one ad the group plans to run is focused on the southern border, per disclosures filed with WCAX-TV in Burlington, Vermont.
MSNBC: Thursday’s Campaign Round-Up, 9.1.22. With time running out in New Hampshire’s Republican U.S. Senate primary, a new super PAC, called the White Mountain PAC, is reportedly investing $4 million in the race, hoping to boost state Sen. Chuck Morse over far-right retired Brigadier Gen. Don Bolduc. The entity was formed this week. Primary Day in New Hampshire is 12 days away.
Donald Trump Creates Chaos. One day after it was announced that the Mitch McConnell-aligned super PAC spent $4 million in ads backing Morse, former president Donald Trump spoke with conservative radio host John Fredericks, who pushed Trump to endorse Don Bolduc. “Trump praised Bolduc as a ‘strong guy, tough guy’ Thursday and told a national radio talk show host he's ‘looking at’ the race ‘very strongly.’”
Union Leader: Trump praises Bolduc as 'strong guy,' stops short of endorsement. Trump said on the John Fredericks Show that it appears the race is "between two of them," referring to Bolduc, a retired brigadier general, and Senate President Chuck Morse of Salem. "I'm looking at that race very closely. He said some great things, strong guy, tough guy. I think he's doing very well, too. I hear he's up, he's up quite a bit," Trump said in his interview.
Fox News: Trump Moves Closer To Endorsing In The Final Major GOP Senate Primary Showdown This Election Cycle. With 12 days to go until the Republican Senate primary in the general election battleground state of New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump says he’s seriously considering endorsing one of the two polling front-runners in the race. "I'm looking at that race very closely," Trump said Thursday on conservative radio host John Fredericks' nationally syndicated radio program.
Talking Points Memo: Trump Flirts With Bolduc Endorsement But Resists Committing In Key New Hampshire Senate Race. With less than two weeks left until the New Hampshire Senate primary, former President Donald Trump is playing coy with his endorsement, which could dramatically reshape the race. “So I’ve been watching it. They want the endorsement,” Trump said on the right-wing John Fredericks radio show Thursday morning. “You know the numbers, I’m almost like at 99 percent on endorsements. So everybody wants the endorsement.” He added that retired Army Brigadier General Don Bolduc — a conspiracy theorist who’s leading in the polls and has been salivating for the Trump nod — has said some “great things” and is a “strong guy, tough guy.”
Kevin Smith Goes Nuclear on Chuck Morse About McConnell PAC. Republican Senate candidate Kevin Smith wasted no time going after Chuck Morse for needing “Mitch McConnell and his establishment friends” to “come in and try to prop him up and buy the seat for $4 million.” In a radio interview with NH Today, Smith slammed Morse for getting support from the new PAC, saying, “when Mitch says, jump, Chuck is going to say, how high” and calling Morse “bought and paid for” by McConnell. Smith didn’t stop there. This morning, he had a press conference where he said, “Chuck Morse couldn’t seal the deal with New Hampshire voters so he had to make a deal with Mitch McConnell to get over the finish line," adding, "This election is about the 603 vs the 202, but he's now Mitch McConnell's guy." This didn’t sit well with Morse’s camp. See reactions from the press conference below:
Kevin Landrigan @KLandriganUL: "@TeamSmithforNH strongest attack on @TeamMorse603. 'Chuck Morse is right about one thing. This is about the 603 versus the 202 but he has sold out to Mitch McConnell and the 202,' says the 'Washington swamp' is trying to buy this race. #nhpolitics" [9:15 AM, 9/2/22]
Kevin Landrigan @KLandriganUL: "@TeamSmithforNH: 'Chuck Morse couldn’t seal the deal with New Hampshire voters so he had to make a deal with Mitch McConnell to get over the finish line.' #NHPolitics" [9:18 AM, 9/2/22]
Morse Senior Advisor Dave Carney @GraniteWinger: "Has a more whiny press conference ever been held in NH and been successful? #WhinersGoingToWhine" [9:30 AM, 9/2/22]
Morse Senior Advisor Dave Carney @GraniteWinger: "#NHPolitics precious Mr. 3% can’t deal with losing statewide for a third time. Maybe it’s not his opponents rather the voters are looking for someone who can beat @Maggie_Hassan" [9:16 AM, 9/2/22]
Morse Senior Advisor Dave Carney @GraniteWinger: "Wow a guy who has been running for one office or another office his entire life and has never worked in the private sector his has zero shame. @NHkevinsmith really should get some prospective and learn about life in the real world. #NHPolitics" [9:24 AM, 9/2/22]