Former U.S. president Donald Trump declares that he’ll as soon as once more run within the 2024 U.S. presidential election throughout an occasion at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Seaside, Fla., on Nov. 15.JONATHAN ERNST/Reuters
Within the state that for a century has held the primary major of the American presidential marketing campaign season, the November shock of the midterm elections appears to have altered every thing.
New Hampshire’s fashionable Republican Governor, Chris Sununu, glided to a simple re-election – and swiftly branded former president Donald Trump a “loser.” The state’s Democratic Senator who’s considered probably the most endeared lawmakers on this month’s election, Maggie Hassan, defeated her Trump-endorsed challenger by almost 10 share factors.
In the meantime, an early ballot performed for the conservative Membership for Progress, till not too long ago considered allied with Mr. Trump, discovered that Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida leads him in New Hampshire by 15 share factors as a possible Republican presidential candidate.
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All that within the two-week interval during which the pink wave that didn’t attain the shore of this northeastern state. Mr. Trump, who gained the New Hampshire major in 2016, could also be girding for a re-run, however his prospects for a similar end in 2024 have suffered a severe blow.
Throughout the nation, the eclipse of Mr. Trump’s effort to regain the presidency is the theme of the month. And, in reality, he was been wounded by the poor efficiency of the candidates he selected in marquee political contests in not simply New Hampshire, however in New York, Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Even Fox Information pulled away from broadcasting his formal announcement that he was operating for an additional time period earlier than his rambling remarks have been full.
The Trump fade – a section, maybe, but a discernible dissipation in his energy not solely to sway voters but in addition to monopolize the dialog – is particularly acute, and particularly important, within the Granite State. Although the first is at the very least 14 months away, the contours of the battle are simply now coming into view.
Like every thing in New Hampshire presidential politics – with its historical past of toppling entrance runners and re-arranging the political hierarchy – there are various uncertainties. Within the state’s peculiar physics of politics, it’s not solely that there are a number of transferring elements, but in addition that they collide towards one another – producing forces that in earlier primaries catapulted some candidates into the ascendancy (George H.W. Bush, 1988) whereas sending others into decline (Ted Cruz, 2016).
The 2024 major is establishing as an excessive instance. For Mr. Trump, that is the state the place the phrase “however” has uncommon energy, all to his drawback.
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Right here, Mr. Trump gained the very important 2016 major – however misplaced the final election, each in that yr and in 2020. Right here, the state Republican Celebration is a wholly-owned Trump subsidiary – however the actual chief of the get together, Mr. Sununu, is rising as an unvarnished critic of the previous president.
Right here, there stays a robust Republican core of voters – however the actual energy brokers within the 2024 major could also be Independents, who on this state have the choice of voting in both get together’s major and would possibly take a Republican poll simply to vote towards Mr. Trump. Right here, houses planted amid the farmlands and buildings on the agricultural byways nonetheless bear Trump indicators – however opponents of the previous president are newly energized and inspired.
“He hasn’t slipped into the previous but, however I’m stunned at what number of good and first rate individuals nonetheless don’t see him as he’s,” stated Mark Hounsell, a someday Republican who’s a former member of Conway’s board of selectmen and its college board. “I’m a robust Bible-believing Christian and I’m saddened by what number of good Christian people see him as some form of messiah.”
And but there’s one extra “however.”
Mr. Trump’s base is what former state lawyer normal Thomas Rath, an institution Republican who performed a principal function within the New Hampshire major campaigns of Bob Dole and George W. Bush, describes as “but-for” voters: “However for Trump,” he defined in an interview, “they wouldn’t be voting.”
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Simply as necessary: However for Mr. Trump, they may not even be Republicans.
Again in August, 2015, a couple of dozen individuals crowded into within the cozy bar of the state’s venerable Lobster Entice restaurant on West Facet Street for a debate-watch get together. The Trump marketing campaign paid for the wings, pizza and stuffed mushrooms. It was early within the combat for the 2016 New Hampshire major, and Billy Cuccio, a part of the household that operates the restaurant, was rising as one of many truest of the native true believers. It was largely as a result of, as he instructed me that evening, Mr. Trump “doesn’t say what’s politically right and doesn’t apologize for it.”
Seven years later, Mr. Cuccio nonetheless believes that: “The Republican Celebration doesn’t symbolize my views as a lot as Trump does.”
On the floor, the politics right here could seem to not have superior considerably. The institution abhors Mr. Trump; his supporters adore him.
However the fact beneath all of the floor theorizing concerning the former president is that his fortunes rely upon a big discipline of contenders to separate the vote in order that his 35 per cent is sufficient for him to declare victory. That’s the scenario the Republicans face in New Hampshire.
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Mr. Trump’s obvious weak spot could invite a number of challengers for the GOP nomination, together with Mr. Sununu. However the presence of many opponents within the race could transform the previous president’s energy.
LOUDON, N.H. — Christopher Bell used a three-wide, last-lap pass on Saturday to drive away and win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race for the fourth straight time at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The 29-year-old Bell needed three extra laps on the 1.058-mile track but remained undefeated at New Hampshire in the Xfinity Series and scored another win for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 20 Toyota.
Bell led 43 of 203 laps and added this checkered flag to his collection of Xfinity wins at New Hampshire in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Sheldon Creed was second and Cole Custer third, both drivers caught up in Bell’s thrilling pass and both drivers fell just shy of keeping Bell out of victory lane.
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“I feel so bad for Sheldon,” Bell said. “He’s been really really close to winning these things.”
Creed has two runner-up finishes this season and 10 overall in the Xfinity Series without a win in 86 career races. He’s tied with Dale Jarrett and Daniel Hemric for most second-place finishes before a victory.
“I’m running out of ways to lose these things,” Creed said.
Bell and Custer kept the headlines confined to the track.
Bell blurted out that Chase Briscoe was set to leave Stewart-Haas Racing, which shuts down at the end of the season, and make the move to Joe Gibs Racing in 2025. Briscoe is slated to drive the No. 19 Toyota for JGR.
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Custer lost his Cup ride at SHR after the 2022 season and spent the last two years driving for its Xfinity program. He won the series championship last season and leads the points standings this season by 15 points over Zane Smith.
“I felt like we had that one,” Custer said. “We had the best car all day and to have it ripped away with one lap to go is just heartbreaking.”
Custer, who led 114 laps at New Hampshire, could get a return to the Cup next season.
SHR co-owner Gene Haas announced this week he will remain in the Cup Series and field one car in 2025. Haas will keep one of the four charters that belong to Stewart-Haas Racing and will operate next season as the Haas Factory Team.
“I think what Gene Haas has done in this sport, it would be a dream come true to get to run that Cup car,” Custer said.
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Stewart-Haas Racing is primarily run by Joe Custer, the chief operating officer and longtime Haas confidant. Custer will remain president of Haas Factory Team — and his son could get the Cup seat.
“Whenever I went back to the Xfinity Series, my goal was always to go back to Cup,” Cole Custer said. “I’ve been trying to work on what I can do to get myself better over the past year and a half. At the end of the day, you try and do as best you can and you hope it all sorts itself out. But I really don’t have much to say or anything right now that’s solidified or anything.”
Justin Bonsignore finished 23rd in his Xfinity Series debut hours after he won a race at the track in NASCAR’s Modified Tour. He’s a three-time NWMT champion. Driving the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Bonsignore was collected in a late wreck.
The Xfinity race was run on wet-weather tires, a first for the series on the oval.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is going to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Sci Aps 200 on June 22, and excitement is in the air. “The Magic Mile” always produces fun racing for the Xfinity Series, with Toyota winning seven of the last eight races in New Hampshire. The action is expected to be just as intense on the 1.058-mile track.
Below, you can find more details about the on-track action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this week!
New Hampshire NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule
Here are the upcoming practice, qualifying, and race times for the current race weekend on the NASCAR schedule (all ET).
Saturday, June 21
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Xfinity Series Autograph Session (Fan Zone)
2:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series Driver Introductions
3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Race: Sci Aps 200 (USA Network) – Watch FREE on Fubo
New Hampshire NASCAR XFINITY Series tickets
Tickets are still available for the Sci Aps 200 and other events throughout the New Hampshire NASCAR weekend in 2024, including the USA TODAY 301.
Book your tickets for the USA TODAY 301 today
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CONCORD, NH — Concord police are investigating a gun threat incident on the top floor of the Durgin Block Parking Garage on School Street Friday night, not far from revelers enjoying the 50th Annual Market Days Festival.
Around 8:30 p.m., police dispatch received a report from a caller that an unknown man pulled a gun on them in the garage. The caller gave the dispatcher the plate number of the vehicle the man was occupying. The dispatcher looked at security cameras and confirmed several people were on the top floor of the garage.
Several officers headed to the area while dispatch gave them the license plates, makes, and models of the vehicles leaving. As they headed to the garage, a dispatcher said, “I just saw the gun,” and said the guy with the gun was in a blue Ford. They could not confirm from security cameras if it was real or a BB gun, they said.
Officers intercepted several vehicles while another officer began eyeing security footage for license plates. The suspect vehicle was stopped on the fourth floor of the garage. According to an officer, the driver was detained in handcuffs for officer safety and placed in the back of a cruiser. Witnesses on the first floor of the garage were questioned. A green Mini Cooper that left the scene was stopped outside the Statehouse on North State Street. Two other vehicles were stopped in the Merrimack County Savings Bank parking lot next door.
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One officer, while examining the Ford, reported seeing a bullet on the floor of the vehicle, according to scanner chatter.
During the investigation, other officers were sent to the garage, and some headed to other calls, including a Dunkin’ Donuts on South Main Street theft incident and a woman screaming that someone was trying to kill her, which was heard in the area of the dog park on Old Turnpike Road.
One witness claimed the man who pointed the gun at his friend was involved with his ex-girlfriend. Another officer said they believed the man and the ex-girlfriend were associated with a call they were involved with in May.
At least one person was taken into custody.
A tow truck was requested to remove the Ford from the garage.
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Concord NH Patch will update this post when more information becomes available.
Do you have a news tip? Please email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella’s YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel. Follow the NH politics Twitter account @NHPatchPolitics for all our campaign coverage.
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