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0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8f680000Coverage of the 2016 races in New Hampshire, from the White House to the State House.

Spending Ramps Up in Ayotte-Hassan Senate Race

NHPR Staff

The money race has been nip and tuck from the moment Governor Maggie Hassan declared for U.S. Senate in early October:  $4.4 million raised by Hassan; $4.4 million raised by her opponent, Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte. 

This quarter, Hassan's campaign says it collected $2.25 million; Ayotte's campaign, "more than $2.25 million." Yet Ayotte, whose been raising money for 2016 since she was sworn in 5 years ago, has almost $7 million in cash on hand, more than twice Hassan's $2.9.

But Hassan's campaign says its trimmed Ayotte's money edge by almost a million dollars since late last year.

Both campaigns have - and will - be aided by non-candidate spending. So far, outside groups have spent more than $8 million to help Ayotte, and close to $2 million dollars to boost Hassan.

Spending in this race, which could be pivotal in deciding control of the U.S. Senate,  is expected to top the more than $50 million dollars spent in the 2014 race between Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and her 2014 GOP rival, former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown. Most spending in that contest came from outside groups.      

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
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