2022 New Hampshire gubernatorial election

The 2022 New Hampshire gubernatorial election will take place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of New Hampshire. As New Hampshire does not have gubernatorial term limits, incumbent Republican governor Chris Sununu is eligible to run for re-election to a fourth 2-year term in office. Sununu had 'expressed interest' in running for the U.S. Senate in 2022 against incumbent Democrat (and former governor) Maggie Hassan. However, on November 9, 2021, he announced that he would instead run for a fourth term as Governor.^[1]

Republican primary[]

Candidates[]

Declared[]

Thad Riley, entrepreneur, former Brentwood school board member, and community advocate^[2]
Chris Sununu, Governor of New Hampshire (2017–present)^[1]
Karen Testerman, former Franklin city councilor and candidate for governor in 2020^[3]

Publicly expressed interest[]

Corey Lewandowski, former advisor to President Donald Trump^[4]

Potential[]

Frank Edelblut, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education, former state representative, and candidate for governor in 2016^[5]^[6]
Ted Gatsas, Executive Councillor, former mayor of Manchester, and former state senator^[7]
Chuck Morse, President of the New Hampshire Senate^[5]
John Stephen, attorney, former Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health, and perennial candidate^[7]

Declined[]

Kelly Ayotte, former U.S. Senator (2011–2017)^[8]
Scott Brown, former U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2010–2013) and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014^[9]

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size^[a]	Margin of error	Kelly Ayotte	Scott Brown	Frank Edelbut	Chuck Morse	Undecided
New Hampshire Journal	August 13–20, 2021	792 (LV)	± 3.5%	46%	13%	7%	6%	29%

^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

Potential[]

Shannon Chandley, former state senator (2018–2020)^[7]
Joyce Craig, mayor of Manchester (2018–present)^[10]
Molly Kelly, former state senator (2006–2016) and nominee for governor in 2018^[7]
Melanie Levesque, former state senator (2018–2020)^[7]
Tom Sherman, state senator (2018–present)^[5]
Donna Soucy, Minority Leader of the New Hampshire Senate (2020–present) and former President of the New Hampshire Senate (2018–2020)^[7]
Cinde Warmington, member of the Executive Council of New Hampshire (2021–present)^[6]

Declined[]

Dan Feltes, former Majority leader of the New Hampshire Senate and nominee for Governor in 2020^[5]
John Lynch, businessman and former Governor of New Hampshire (2005–2013)^[11]
Jodi Picoult, author^[12]
Andru Volinsky, former Executive Council member and candidate for Governor in 2020^[13]

General election[]

Predictions[]

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report^[14]	Solid R	October 5, 2021
Inside Elections^[15]	Battleground	September 29, 2021
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[16]	Safe R	November 9, 2021

References[]

^ ^a ^b "New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu Not Running For US Senate, Will Seek 4th Term As Governor". CBS Boston. November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
^ Bailey, Kathleen D. (November 3, 2021). "Ex-Brentwood School Board member runs for NH governor, criticizes Sununu, vaccine mandates". The Portsmouth Herald. Gannett. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
^ DiStaso, John (July 29, 2021). "NH Primary Source: Karen Testerman, running again for governor, says, 'I'm not a protest candidate'". WMUR-TV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
^ DiStaso, John (January 4, 2021). "Lewandowski says he's eyeing run for governor in 2022, would not be 'dissuaded' by Sununu, Ayotte". Retrieved January 24, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Steinhauser, Paul (October 29, 2021). "On the trail: Who would replace Sununu in governor's office?". Concord Monitor. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
^ ^a ^b DiStaso, John (November 4, 2021). "NH Primary Source: NH governor 2022: Democrat Warmington vs. Republican Edelblut?". WMUR-TV. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Politics1 - Online Guide to New Hampshire Politics".
^ DiStaso, John [@jdistaso] (November 9, 2021). "BREAKING: Sources close to former Sen @KellyAyotte tell @WMUR9 she "will NOT be a candidate for any office in 2022…." Ayotte "thankful" @ChrisSununu ChrisSununu "will continue his service to our state." #nhsen #NHgov #NHPolitics #WMUR" (Tweet). Retrieved November 9, 2021 – via Twitter.
^ DiStaso, John [@jdistaso] (November 9, 2021). "Now: @SenScottBrown has essentially taken himself out of the running for the #nhsen seat, says he wants to focus on his wife, @gailhuffbrown in her bid for #nh01 - His comments to @WMUR9 below #nhpolitics #WMUR" (Tweet). Retrieved November 9, 2021 – via Twitter.
^ Sexton, Adam (March 24, 2021). "Race for mayor of Manchester expected to kick off in coming weeks". WMUR. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
^ DiStaso, John (November 11, 2021). "Former Gov. John Lynch says he's 'not even considering' running for governor again". WMUR-TV. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
^ Sexton, Adam (April 14, 2021). "Progressive activists try to recruit author Picoult into run for governor". WMUR-TV. Concord, N.H. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021. Picoult announced on Wednesday evening via Twitter that she would not be running for governor.
^ "Franklin Pierce University Names Andru Volinsky as its First Civic Scholar-In-Residence".
^ "2022 Governor Race Ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
^ "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
^ "2022 Gubernatorial race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved March 11, 2021.

External links[]

Official campaign websites

Karen Testerman (R) for Governor

Thad Riley (R) for Governor

[Key-10] Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

[:0-1] "New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu Not Running For US Senate, Will Seek 4th Term As Governor". CBS Boston. November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.

[2] Bailey, Kathleen D. (November 3, 2021). "Ex-Brentwood School Board member runs for NH governor, criticizes Sununu, vaccine mandates". The Portsmouth Herald. Gannett. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.

[3] DiStaso, John (July 29, 2021). "NH Primary Source: Karen Testerman, running again for governor, says, 'I'm not a protest candidate'". WMUR-TV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.

[4] DiStaso, John (January 4, 2021). "Lewandowski says he's eyeing run for governor in 2022, would not be 'dissuaded' by Sununu, Ayotte". Retrieved January 24, 2021.

[replace-5] Steinhauser, Paul (October 29, 2021). "On the trail: Who would replace Sununu in governor's office?". Concord Monitor. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.

[Warmington-6] DiStaso, John (November 4, 2021). "NH Primary Source: NH governor 2022: Democrat Warmington vs. Republican Edelblut?". WMUR-TV. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.

[politics1-7] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Politics1 - Online Guide to New Hampshire Politics".

[8] DiStaso, John [@jdistaso] (November 9, 2021). "BREAKING: Sources close to former Sen @KellyAyotte tell @WMUR9 she "will NOT be a candidate for any office in 2022…." Ayotte "thankful" @ChrisSununu ChrisSununu "will continue his service to our state." #nhsen #NHgov #NHPolitics #WMUR" (Tweet). Retrieved November 9, 2021 – via Twitter.

[9] DiStaso, John [@jdistaso] (November 9, 2021). "Now: @SenScottBrown has essentially taken himself out of the running for the #nhsen seat, says he wants to focus on his wife, @gailhuffbrown in her bid for #nh01 - His comments to @WMUR9 below #nhpolitics #WMUR" (Tweet). Retrieved November 9, 2021 – via Twitter.

[11] Sexton, Adam (March 24, 2021). "Race for mayor of Manchester expected to kick off in coming weeks". WMUR. Retrieved April 12, 2021.

[12] DiStaso, John (November 11, 2021). "Former Gov. John Lynch says he's 'not even considering' running for governor again". WMUR-TV. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.

[13] Sexton, Adam (April 14, 2021). "Progressive activists try to recruit author Picoult into run for governor". WMUR-TV. Concord, N.H. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021. Picoult announced on Wednesday evening via Twitter that she would not be running for governor.

[14] "Franklin Pierce University Names Andru Volinsky as its First Civic Scholar-In-Residence".

[Cook_PR-15] "2022 Governor Race Ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 14, 2021.

[Inside_Elections-16] "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved February 19, 2021.

[Sabato's_Crystal_Ball-17] "2022 Gubernatorial race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved March 11, 2021.

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