Republicans are eyeing a New Hampshire congressional seat as a potential pickup to help blunt the Democratic push to recapture the lower chamber in November.
The state’s 1st Congressional District is now represented by Democrat Chris Pappas, but he decided to run for the state’s open Senate seat against Republican former Sen. John Sununu.
The tight House race pits Republican Anthony DiLorenzo, a Portsmouth real estate developer and owner of the Key Auto Group, against Democrat Stefany Shaheen, a former Portsmouth city councilor and the daughter of retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
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The district covers much of eastern New Hampshire, including Manchester, and has historically flipped between the parties.
Only two polls have measured the race: the University of New Hampshire Survey Center and The New York Times Siena poll.
The UNH survey of 711 likely voters conducted between Sept. 24 and 28 with a 3.7 percentage-point margin of error, shows Ms. Shaheen ahead of Mr. DiLorenzo by 46% to 42% with 11% to 12% undecided.
The New York Times Siena poll of 613 likely voters conducted a week earlier, between Sept. 15 and 22, with a margin of error of 4.9%, shows Ms. Shaheen ahead of Mr. DiLorenzo 52% to 43% with 5% undecided.
Not only are the poll numbers tight, but both sides have raised enough money to spend in the final four weeks of the campaign.
According to FEC filings, Mr. DiLorenzo, a self-funder, has raised over $2.5 million and now has almost $200,000 cash on hand, while Ms. Shaheen raised over $2.4 million and has over $600,000 cash on hand.
The tightness of the numbers has both campaigns slinging shots at one another over taxes, nepotism, immigration and healthcare.
Mr. DiLorenzo, whose campaign calls Ms. Shaheen “Silver Spoon Stefany Shaheen,” says she is out of touch with New Hampshire families, adding that she recently admitted she wanted to raise their taxes by calling to “roll back these tax breaks.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee went after Ms. Shaheen’s familial connection saying she that “unlike most families across New Hampshire, Stefany Shaheen hasn’t worked for a single thing. She’s been handed everything by her mom.”
“It’s no wonder she wants to ‘roll back’ tax breaks and make life more expensive: her top priority is catering to her party, not fighting for New Hampshire,” the NRCC said.
The Washington Times reached out to the Shaheen campaign for comment.
Ms. Shaheen and her campaign have centered their attacks on Mr. DiLorenzo’s endorsement from President Trump, saying he would be a “rubber stamp” for Mr. Trump, cut healthcare spending and give free rein to ICE and other immigration enforcement agencies.
When Mr. DiLorenzo entered the race last October, she called him a “MAGA mega-donor” who works for corporate special interests and goes along with whatever Mr. Trump wants.
Additionally, a super PAC supporting Ms. Shaheen is broadcasting a 30-second ad that uses Mr. DiLorenzo’s own words about Mr. Trump, when he spent the first week of the general trying to put distance between himself and the president.
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