Politico Flips NH Senate Race to 'Tossup,' Forecasts GOP Edging Closer in NY, WA

The New Hampshire Senate race is a “tossup” between Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Republican Gen. Don Bolduc, according to Politico, which updated its forecast Friday in favor of Republicans, along with races in Washington State and New York.

While Politico finally moved the race to a tossup four days before Election Day, on Tuesday, RealClearPolitics already marked the Granite State race as a GOP pickup. The last two polls measuring the race on Tuesday and Thursday indicated Bolduc was leading the race by a slim margin. Bolduc has come from 13 points behind in just six weeks.

The New Hampshire Senate race is one of seven swing states that will determine which party controls the Senate. To retake the high chamber, Republicans need to hold Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and retake either Arizona, Nevada, Washington State, New Hampshire, or Georgia to have a one-seat majority in the Senate.

The momentum is shifting in Washington State’s Senate race, in which Democrat Patty Murray (D-WA) is facing a significant challenge from Tiffany Smiley, who has campaigned on enhanced government oversight of the Washington, DC, establishment. On Friday, Politico shifted the race from “likely” Democrat to “lean” Democrat in favor of Republicans.

Politico has also shifted its forecast in the New York gubernatorial race in favor of Republicans. The race between Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has been narrowing in recent weeks, as crime and inflation have become major issues in the race. Politico edged the race from “likely” Democrat to “lean” Democrat.

With Tuesday’s election just four days away, Republicans appear to be in a good position to retake the Senate, House, and many governorships. Democrats appear to be struggling with the black and Hispanic vote, two segments of the populations Democrats have counted on to win previous elections.

Republicans have drawn a contrast in many areas of policy, such as ways to reduce crime, inflation, and illegal immigration. Under Democrat rule, crime, inflation, and illegal immigration have surged to record highs.

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.