Republican Senate candidate Don Bolduc greets supporters at a town hall event on September 10, 2022 in Laconia, New Hampshire. Bolduc is running against Bruce Fenton and Chuck Morse in the in the upcoming GOP primary. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
Don Bolduc, a retired Army general, won the state's GOP primary in a high-profile fight over who will try to unseat Sen. Maggie Hassan (D) in November.
Why it matters: Bolduc's apparent victory comes as Republicans poured millions into the race to try to prevent his victory — as party leaders fear that he's too extreme to win the November election.
- The GOP has eyed New Hampshire's Senate race as a crucial contest in their overall efforts to win Senate control in November, Axios' Josh Kraushaar reports.
Driving the news: Bolduc's opponent Chuck Morse conceded early Wednesday morning, tweeting: "It's been a long night & we've come up short. I want to thank my supporters for all the blood, sweat & tears they poured into this team effort."
- Morse, the president of the New Hampshire Senate, was boosted by more than $4.5 million from a McConnell-aligned super PAC. The PAC ran negative ads against Bolduc last week.
- Meanwhile, Democrats spent more than $3.1 million in an attempt to boost Bolduc, as they viewed him as an easier competitor to Hassan come November.
- New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) endorsed Morse last week, while former President Trump, who never made a formal endorsement in the race, called Bolduc a "strong guy, a tough guy" earlier this month.
What to watch: Hassan earlier in the election cycle was viewed as one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats up for re-election, but the GOP's failure to unify around a single candidate, may have opened the door for a Hassan victory in the general election, Axios' Alayna Treene reports.
Editor's note: This story has been updated after AP officially called the race.