McConnell-aligned super PAC withdraws from New Hampshire Senate race
FILE - New Hampshire Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Bolduc speaks during a debate Sept. 7, 2022, in Henniker, N.H. Though former President Donald Trump didn't formally endorse Bolduc in his primary, the former president called him a “strong guy, tough guy.” And he’s among many candidates who used Trump support to win GOP nominations and now must try to appeal to a broader swath of the electorate in general elections. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)
A Republican super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) confirmed on Friday that it would be withdrawing spending from New Hampshire’s Senate race even as recent polling shows a tight contest.
A spokesperson for the Senate Leadership Fund confirmed to The Hill that it would be slashing $5.6 million from the state beginning on Oct. 25.
“As the cycle comes to a close, we are shifting resources to where they can be most effective to achieve our ultimate goal: winning the majority,” Senate Leadership Fund President Steven Law said in a statement.
That follows a similar move made by the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm earlier this month to pull its resources from the state. The group said that the move was made because of other Republican spending going toward the race.
The development is notable given a recent poll released earlier on Friday that showed both candidates — Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Republican Don Bolduc — polling competitively.
A survey from GOP pollster Fabrezio, Lee and Associates, which Bolduc’s campaign commissioned, showed the senator polling at 49 percent compared to the Republican at 47 percent. But the polling falls within the margin of error.
Prior polls earlier this month and late last month showed Hassan leading by a much wider margin of at least 7 percentage points.
The developments are an indication of where Republicans are willing to spend money just weeks away from midterm elections and where the party sees opportunity for victory.