Candidates up and down the ballot spent the last weekend before Election Day making their final sales pitch. Whether working over undecided voters in cafes, knocking on the doors of committed supporters, or shaking every hand within reach, candidates made the most of the waning days of a historic campaign season.
Among those directing last-minute pleas to voters this weekend was Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance, who made a campaign stop in Derry Sunday evening night. Vance — and many of the supporters he drew — were quick to argue that New Hampshire will be competitive in Tuesday’s presidential race.
You have to go back more than two decades — to 2000 — for the last time a Republican presidential nominee carried New Hampshire. But when he took the stage at a Derry indoor sports facility Sunday, Vance urged the audience to see his very presence here as evidence that New Hampshire is a state he and Donald Trump can win in 2024.
"I think it suggests that what we are doing is expanding the map," said.
Several thousand turned out to see Vance in Derry. Mike Greenwood of Nashua was among them. He and his family were turned away at the door due to the overflow crowd — which Greenwood called a good problem to have.
"I'm pretty optimistic: I mean Uncle Donny's not ever here; this is just for JD Vance," Greenwood said.
Almost all polls show Kamala Harris leading Trump in New Hampshire, but a strong performance by Trump would help down-ticket Republicans, including Kelly Ayotte, who remains locked in a tight race for governor with Democrat Joyce Craig.
Governor's race remains tightest in nation
Undecided voters seemed in short supply at Vance’s Derry appearance, but both Ayotte and Craig were making pitches to that slice of the electorate over the weekend. Craig made a series of appearances: in Manchester, Durham, Portsmouth and Somersworth. In Milford Saturday morning, she joined a group of about 40 canvassers crammed into the Democratic headquarters to deliver a pep talk.
“We are down to the wire, and your knocking doors, having conversations with voters across the state, is what’s going to push us over the finish line,” Craig said.
Both Ayotte and Craig both stressed core arguments in their interactions with voters this weekend: Craig zeroing in on her support for reproductive rights, and Ayotte committing to continue the policies of outgoing Gov. Chris Sununu.
"We are very different from the states surrounding us, and we have such a great opportunity to continue to be very strong but also to get better,” Ayotte told voters in Hampton Sunday.
This race is the most competitive governor's contest in the country this year, and political donors are acting accordingly. With overall spending topping $20 million, this is the most expensive race for governor in New Hampshire history.
Pappas seeks fourth term against challenger Prescott
The candidates in the First Congressional District race — Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas and Republican Russell Prescott — crossed paths over the weekend. Among the stops for Prescott was the Old Salt in Hampton, where he worked the dining room and said he’s hearing repeatedly how engaged voters are in this race.
“I believe that’s going to help me go over the top, and make sure that we win,” Prescott said. “I’m just praying that they are, to their word, they’re voting. They’re voting early, and a lot of them have already said: ‘I voted for you, Russell.’ “
In Portsmouth Sunday, Pappas helped fire up a group of Democratic volunteers about to do some door-knocking.
“It’s an all-hands-on-deck moment for our nation, for the people of New Hampshire, and we need to ensure we are fighting hard these next two-plus days to make sure we are getting out the vote,” Pappas told the crowd.
This district has been considered a swing seat, for the past two decades. But Pappas is now seeking a fourth consecutive term. If he wins, he’ll be the most successful Democrat in the 1st Congressional District in roughly half a century.
Prescott said he remains confident ahead of Tuesday.
“I am rolling into this optimistic,” he said. “And I don't want to be overly optimistic, but I certainly believe there is an opportunity to have a voice for New Hampshire in Washington D.C.”
Pappas, for his part, said he was focused on reaching as many voters as possible in the campaign’s waning hours.
“It’s about making sure people know what’s at stake Tuesday, know where to go to cast their vote, and know why this is important,” he said “And I do truly believe this is the most important election of our lifetime.”
Milford was another town where several candidates – from governor to the State House – were knocking doors through the weekend. Scott Lawrence, chair of the town’s Democratic committee, said all the attention made sense, given Milford’s classic "purple" political makeup.
“A little less than a third of Milford is Democrats, a little less than a third is Republicans, and the unenrolled outnumber both of us,” he said.
Help ready for those seeking rides to polls
Most public transit systems in New Hampshire are offering free rides to the polls on Election Day. The free rides include regular public transit routes, like bus lines and ADA paratransit. There are also special voting shuttles scheduled in Merrimack County, Belknap County and the University of New Hampshire.
Each system might have a different way of coordinating how riders can tell the driver they are on their way to vote. However, transit officials say the systems are planning on operating on good faith when riders say they are going to or coming back from voting.
Riders are encouraged to check with their local system for Election Day schedules and details on boarding for free. The information is also available online at nhtransit.org.
Tuesday’s election could set a new record for voter turnout in New Hampshire. The Secretary of State's office is predicting that 824,000 people will cast a ballot. That would be about 10,000 more voters than the last presidential election in 2020. Election officials expect a lot of people to register at the polls on Tuesday, so voters should be prepared for lines throughout the day.
