Maggie Hassan re-elected to U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, CBS News projects
MANCHESTER, NH - Maggie Hassan has won reelection to the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire, CBS News projects. Hassan defeated Republican Don Bolduc in a closely watched race.
Hassan, a former governor, had been considered vulnerable given her narrow win in 2016. But her odds improved after popular Gov. Chris Sununu took a pass at challenging her, and Republicans nominated Bolduc, a retired Army general who has espoused conspiracy theories about vaccines and the 2020 presidential election.
Hassan spent much of the campaign casting Bolduc as "the most extreme nominee for U.S. Senate that New Hampshire has seen in modern history," and pouncing on his past statements on abortion, Social Security and the 2020 presidential election.
Hassan defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte in 2016 to become the second woman in American history to be elected both governor and U.S. senator, following fellow New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen.
Hassan won women voters 59% to 40%, according to exit polls. Voters who said abortion was the most important issue to them voted overwhelmingly for Hassan giving her 86% of the vote, compared with 13% voting for the challenger, Bolduc. Moderates supported Hassan to a wide extent, awarding her 63% of the vote.
