Pappas urges Democrats to focus more on New Hampshire Senate race

(The Center Square) — U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas is warning fellow Democrats that they risk losing a New Hampshire Senate seat to Republican John E. Sununu if more money and resources aren't devoted to the wide-open race.

In an email to supporters, Pappas urgently called for more donations for his campaign amid a fundraising deficit against Republicans, and with the latest polls, the former GOP senator is gaining momentum. 

He warned fellow Democrats that the party could lose a key seat in the U.S. Senate if more attention isn't paid to the fight to hold on to it.

"This election could go either way," Pappas said in one fundraising email. "The country is watching, and the outcome here in New Hampshire will determine control of the U.S. Senate and what the next two years look like for millions of families across the country."

Pappas, serving his fourth term in Congress from New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, defeated several challengers in the Democratic primary to win the party's nomination. He has sought to tie Sununu to President Trump's divisive policies and argues that the former senator would be a sure vote for the president if elected. 

Sununu, a member of one of New Hampshire's most storied political families, served in the U.S. Senate from 2003 to 2008 before he was defeated by Shaheen. He beat former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown in the Sept. 8 Republican primary. Sununu argues that he would be better positioned to bring home federal funding and resources for the Granite State as a Republican, with Trump in the White House for the next two years. 

Both men are competing in the wide-open race to replace outgoing Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a three-term Democrat who is retiring. The race has drawn national attention as a potential win for Republicans as they battle to hold onto control of the U.S. Senate in the upcoming midterm elections, when much of Congress is up for grabs. Democrats are hoping to hold onto the seat as they push to win a majority in the upper chamber.

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Republicans have a 53-45 edge over Democrats in the U.S. Senate, with two independents caucusing with the minority party.

A University of New Hampshire poll released in August showed Sununu and Pappas nearly tied, at 45% to 43%, within the margin of error. 

Cook Political Report, a top handicapper for congressional races, rates the contest a toss up while Decision Desk HQ says the seat is likely to remain in Democrats’ hands. 

In the money race, Pappas’s campaign has outraised Sununu, with $15 million drummed up by his campaign compared to Sununu's $4.1 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

But Sununu has benefited from spending by national Republican groups, who have pumped nearly $7 million into advertising backing his campaign. The GOP has made. another $25 million in ad reservations this election cycle, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. 

In contrast, Democrats have only spent $4.2 million in aired TV and digital advertising to date, with nearly $15 million in airtime reserved for ads, according to the tracking firm.