A super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) is spending millions in New Hampshire's Senate Republican primary to damage a moderate, competitive candidate—a move that benefits a pro-Trump challenger who has called the state's Republican governor a "Chinese Communist sympathizer."
The Senate Majority PAC placed a $3.2 million attack ad against state senator Chuck Morse, who political observers say is the strongest candidate to take down Sen. Maggie Hassan (D., N.H.) in a tight general election, Politico reported. Morse will face off in a primary election Tuesday against Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who has drawn controversy over his criticism of Gov. Chris Sununu (R.), as well as his claim that former president Donald Trump "won" the 2020 presidential election. Morse's campaign said Democrats are attempting to meddle in the Republican primary to boost Hassan's chances in November.
"Maggie Hassan and her dark money allies just confirmed they know what we've known all along—Chuck Morse is surging in the polls and is the best-positioned candidate to defeat her this November," Morse campaign spokeswoman Maya Harvey told the Washington Free Beacon. "Chuck Schumer can throw as many daggers as he wants, but Chuck Morse is a career volunteer."
Neither Bolduc's campaign nor the Senate Majority PAC responded to requests for comment.
The ad campaign marks Democrats' latest effort to boost pro-Trump candidates over establishment-backed competitors in Republican primaries nationwide. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in August helped launch Trump-endorsed candidate John Gibbs to victory over Rep. Peter Meijer (R., Mich.), who voted to impeach Trump. The Democratic Governors Association similarly boosted pro-Trump candidates to victory in tight gubernatorial primaries in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The ad-buy follows Democrats' efforts to interfere in the state's Republican congressional primary. A Democratic mail shop distributed flyers that promote Bob Burns, a pro-Trump Republican candidate in the state's Second Congressional District, the New Hampshire Journal reported. A Democratic PAC spent $100,000 on a TV ad that similarly promotes Burns.
While Democrats set their sights on Morse, a Republican super PAC is spending $3.5 million in support of Morse, who trails Bolduc in Republican primary polls.
Hassan's campaign has focused on her supposed bipartisan approach to Congress, a position complicated by her record. Hassan has voted 96 percent of the time with President Joe Biden, who has historically low popularity numbers in the Granite State.
Trump has yet to endorse a candidate in the Senate race.