2014 New Hampshire gubernatorial election


The 2014 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of New Hampshire, concurrently with the [United States 2016 United States Senate election in New Hampshire|Senate election in New Hampshire, 2014|election] to New Hampshire's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic governor Maggie Hassan ran for re-election to a second term in office. She defeated the Republican nominee, businessman Walt Havenstein. As of, this is the last time a Democrat was elected Governor of New Hampshire.
Hassan would retire in 2016 to run successfully for the Senate.

Background

Incumbent Democratic governor John Lynch decided to retire in 2012, rather than seek re-election to a fifth term in office. The Democratic nominee, former State Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan, defeated the Republican nominee, attorney and 1996 gubernatorial nominee Ovide M. Lamontagne, 55% to 43%.
New Hampshire and Vermont are the only states in the country whose governors are elected every two years. On only one occasion since 1924 has a first-term governor of New Hampshire been defeated for re-election to a second term: in 2004, when Lynch beat incumbent Republican governor Craig Benson.
Hassan had high approval ratings. An April 2014 WMUR/University of New Hampshire poll found that 57% of registered voters approved of the job she was doing, 58% had a favorable opinion of her, and 70% thought the state was going in the right direction. For these reasons, Hassan was not considered vulnerable going into the election. The Cook Political Report, Daily Kos Elections, Governing and Sabato's Crystal Ball all considered the race "likely Democratic" and RealClearPolitics and The Rothenberg Political Report rated the race "safe Democratic".

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Hassan won the Democratic Party primary, held on September 9, 2014, with 94.3% of the votes cast.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Havenstein won the Republican Party primary, held on September 9, 2014, with 55.6% of the votes cast.

Declined

General election

Debates

Polling

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Bill
Binnie 		OtherUndecided
Suffolk/Boston HeraldFeb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014800± 3.5%55%26%—20%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 9–12, 20141,354± 2.7%51%31%—18%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Jeb
Bradley 		OtherUndecided
New England CollegeMay 2–5, 2013807± 3.27%55%24%—22%
Public Policy PollingApril 19–21, 2013933± 3.2%52%38%—10%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Brad
Cook 		OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingSeptember 13–16, 20131,038± 3%49%34%—17%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Ted
Gatsas 		OtherUndecided
WMUR/UNHApril 1–9, 2014387± 5%50%27%1%23%
Suffolk/Boston HeraldFeb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014800± 3.5%53%28%—19%
WMUR/UNHJanuary 21–26, 2014584± 4.1%45%34%2%19%
New England CollegeOctober 7–9, 20131,063± 3%53%25%—22%
Public Policy PollingApril 19–21, 2013933± 3.2%51%35%—15%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Daniel
Greene 		OtherUndecided
Suffolk/Boston HeraldJune 14–18, 2014800± 3.5%53%13%4%31%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Frank
Guinta 		OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingApril 19–21, 2013933± 3.2%54%36%—9%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Andrew
Hemingway 		OtherUndecided
WMUR/UNHAugust 7–17, 2014609± 4%51%31%1%17%
WMUR/UNHJune 19–July 1, 2014669± 3.8%54%28%0%18%
Suffolk/Boston HeraldJune 14–18, 2014800± 3.5%51%17%3%29%
Vox Populi PollingMay 14–15, 2014707± 3.6%42%31%—27%
Hickman AnalyticsApril 24–30, 2014400± 4.9%50%28%—22%
Rockefeller CenterApril 21–25, 2014412± 4.8%40%20%—40%
WMUR/UNHApril 1–9, 2014387± 5%49%22%1%28%
American Research GroupMarch 13–16, 2014533± 4.2%45%30%—25%
Suffolk/Boston HeraldFeb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014800± 3.5%56%23%—21%
WMUR/UNHJanuary 21–26, 2014584± 4.1%48%27%2%22%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 9–12, 20141,354± 2.7%51%25%—23%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		George
Lambert 		OtherUndecided
Suffolk/Boston HeraldFeb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014800± 3.5%55%22%—23%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 9–12, 20141,354± 2.7%50%26%—23%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 13–16, 20131,038± 3%49%32%—20%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Chuck
Morse 		OtherUndecided
Suffolk/Boston HeraldFeb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014800± 3.5%56%23%—21%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 9–12, 20141,354± 2.7%50%27%—22%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 13–16, 20131,038± 3%49%33%—18%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Andy
Sanborn 		OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingSeptember 13–16, 20131,038± 3%49%32%—19%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Kevin
Smith 		OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingApril 19–21, 2013933± 3.2%52%32%—16%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Jonathan
Smolin 		OtherUndecided
Suffolk/Boston HeraldJune 14–18, 2014800± 3.5%52%15%3%31%

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Maggie
Hassan 		Christopher T.
Sununu 		OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingApril 19–21, 2013933± 3.2%53%37%—10%

Results

By county

Counties that swung from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Hassan won both congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican.
DistrictHassanHavensteinRepresentative
50.86%49.14%Frank Guinta
54.11%45.89%Annie Kuster