New Hampshire's Republican Party is grappling with the legacy of Donald Trump, who won the state's 2024 presidential election. As the party tries to navigate this shift, moderates are being squeezed out by a rising tide of MAGA supporters.
The state has long been known for its moderate politics, but that may no longer be the case. According to Andrew Smith, director at the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, Trump's victory has led to moderates "laying low." The MAGA movement is gaining traction in the state, with some Republicans running on a more extreme platform.
Despite this, Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte remains in office, despite being a moderate. She has managed to stay ahead of potential challengers by threading the needle around parts of Trump's national agenda. However, her efforts may not be enough to prevent the party from becoming more Trumpian.
Ayotte's approach is described as "New Hampshire-first," where she tries to channel the state's classic Republican politics while dealing with Trump as little as possible. This approach has earned her praise from some, but criticism from others who argue that it's not enough to distance herself from Trump entirely.
The party's leadership is now under pressure to adopt a more Trumpian approach, or risk facing tougher challengers. A potential challenge to Ayotte's governorship comes in the form of Corey Lewandowski, a Trump ally and de facto chief of staff for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. While Lewandowski has downplayed his interest in running for office, some Republicans are eager to see him take on Ayotte.
The Senate seat up for grabs in 2026 will also be a battleground between moderate Republican John E. Sununu and right-wing Scott Brown. Sununu has taken a hardline stance against Trump, while Brown has expressed admiration for the president's policies.
For now, New Hampshire Republicans are walking a tightrope, trying to balance their loyalty to the state's classic Republican politics with the reach of Trumpism. If they fail to adapt, they may face significant challenges in the future.
The state has long been known for its moderate politics, but that may no longer be the case. According to Andrew Smith, director at the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, Trump's victory has led to moderates "laying low." The MAGA movement is gaining traction in the state, with some Republicans running on a more extreme platform.
Despite this, Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte remains in office, despite being a moderate. She has managed to stay ahead of potential challengers by threading the needle around parts of Trump's national agenda. However, her efforts may not be enough to prevent the party from becoming more Trumpian.
Ayotte's approach is described as "New Hampshire-first," where she tries to channel the state's classic Republican politics while dealing with Trump as little as possible. This approach has earned her praise from some, but criticism from others who argue that it's not enough to distance herself from Trump entirely.
The party's leadership is now under pressure to adopt a more Trumpian approach, or risk facing tougher challengers. A potential challenge to Ayotte's governorship comes in the form of Corey Lewandowski, a Trump ally and de facto chief of staff for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. While Lewandowski has downplayed his interest in running for office, some Republicans are eager to see him take on Ayotte.
The Senate seat up for grabs in 2026 will also be a battleground between moderate Republican John E. Sununu and right-wing Scott Brown. Sununu has taken a hardline stance against Trump, while Brown has expressed admiration for the president's policies.
For now, New Hampshire Republicans are walking a tightrope, trying to balance their loyalty to the state's classic Republican politics with the reach of Trumpism. If they fail to adapt, they may face significant challenges in the future.
. It's like she's trying to keep the party afloat by appeasing everyone except Trump, but ultimately, that's just delaying the inevitable. The MAGA movement is gaining momentum and it's only a matter of time before the whole party gets swept up in it 
. Meanwhile, I'm curious about Sununu vs Brown - it'll be interesting to see how the moderates hold up against this new wave of Trump loyalists 
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. And what's with this "New Hampshire-first" approach from Gov Ayotte? It's just a weak attempt to distance herself from Trump without actually doing anything about it. Meanwhile, Lewandowski is just waiting in the wings, ready to pounce on anyone who thinks they can take down Ayotte. The party leadership needs to get their act together and stop playing games... or risk getting steamrolled by Trumpian candidates 
. It's going to be a long 2-4 years for NH Republicans...
Moderates are getting pushed out and Ayotte is trying this "New Hampshire-first" approach, which is cool, I guess, but not really enough to distance herself from Trump. 
It's like she's stuck between a rock and a hard place.
And with Brown running for Senate, it just feels like the party is becoming more extreme by the day. 
, she's already getting pummeled by her own party members over being a "RINO" (Republican in Name Only). And Scott Brown is like the ultimate MAGA boy, I mean who needs moderate Republican politics when you can just scream Trump 24/7? 
The whole thing feels like a rigged game to me, and I think the real winner here is gonna be whoever takes down Ayotte.
. As the party continues to grapple with these issues, it will be interesting to see how they balance their loyalty to the state's traditional politics with the need to stay relevant in the modern era 
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The party needs someone who can take on Trump and not just play nice. John E. Sununu's all right, but I think Brown's gonna win that Senate seat – he's got theTrump- approval ratings, haha! 
. It's so easy to get caught up in politics, but sometimes it's nice to just take a step back and appreciate the little things in life. Like how amazing it feels to watch a beautiful sunset or go for a hike with friends. I mean, what's more American than that? 
. And it's not just the politicians, either - every single candidate is playing the Trump card now, whether it's Lewandowski throwing his hat into the ring or Brown running for Senate on a more extreme platform 
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. I don't know if it'll be enough to save her from the next challenger... but one thing's for sure: this whole situation is making me super anxious about the direction of politics in NH 
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ayotte's approach might just be the best way to keep her job, but it's not gonna save the party from becoming all about trump for real tho 
so the party is stuck between being loyal to their roots or embracing this super divisive figure... it's a tough spot to be in. and I feel for Ayotte, she's trying her best with the "New Hampshire-first" approach, but I'm not sure if that's enough to keep the MAGA folks at bay 
. And Corey Lewandowski? Like what a wildcard! He could totally take down Ayotte and it would be a huge deal, like, the party is literally going to implode 
. The Senate seat in 2026 is gonna be SO intense between Sununu and Brown, both of whom have strong feelings about Trump... it's anyone's game at this point 
Personally, I think it's gonna be tough for them to do that. They're already having trouble finding someone who's not too extreme... Corey Lewandowski might be a good example of this. What do you think? 
. But hey, I guess that's what happens when a state's identity gets tied to one person's legacy... it's like, can't move forward till you acknowledge the elephant in the room 
but at the end of the day, if they wanna stay relevant, they need to find that sweet spot where they can still represent nh values without alienating the trump crowd 
ayotte's trying to thread the needle but it feels like she's just delaying the inevitable 
corey lewandowski's name keeps popping up as a potential challenger & honestly i think he'd be a dark horse candidate 
john sununu vs scott brown for senate in 2026... whoever wins that seat better have some big shoes to fill