What to watch in the US’s New Hampshire and Rhode Island primary elections

Some of the US midterm election’s biggest themes will play out in these New England states’ most notable races.

A sign directs voters to an entrance for early voting in the state's upcoming primary election in Providence, Rhode Island, the United States [File: David Goldman/AP Photo]

Voters in two US states — New Hampshire and Rhode Island — will head to the polls this week to select Democratic and Republican candidates for this November’s United States midterm elections .

In what’s been a campaign season full of unexpected twists and turns, from the continued growth of the Democrats’ progressive arm to mixed results for President Donald Trump-endorsed Republican candidates, the contests mark some of the last primaries before the US makes a final determination on which party will control both chambers of the US Congress.

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Before that happens, candidates in some of these New England states’ most notable races will have to contend with some of this midterm’s biggest themes: How much Republicans should align with Trump, and whether a Democratic incumbent can fight off a primary challenger.

Here are the races to watch:

US Representative Chris Pappas of New Hampshire announces his bid to succeed retiring US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a fellow Democrat, in Manchester, New Hampshire, the US [File: Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo]

In New Hampshire, a battle to replace a retiring senator

When does voting in New Hampshire start? Opening times for polling locations vary across the state, but all polls must open on Tuesday, September 8 by 11am (15:00 GMT).

When does voting in New Hampshire end? Closing times also vary, but state law stipulates polls cannot close earlier than 7pm (23:00 GMT).

The most notable race in New Hampshire will determine the two candidates who will face off to replace outgoing Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

US Representative Chris Pappas has emerged as the frontrunner to win the Democratic nomination. On the Republican side, John Sununu holds the benefit of strong name recognition from being a part of the state’s most prominent political dynasty.

Democrats have hoped to retain this seat, a critical must-keep as they look to take back the US Senate currently controlled by Republicans. But recent polling of likely voters conducted by Senate Republicans’ campaign arm shows Sununu leading Pappas by one point. The survey, conducted in the final days of August, found nearly one in four voters are undecided.

However, both candidates, if they win their primaries on Tuesday, may have to confront actions by their party’s top figures, who could complicate their campaigns.

In the Democratic primary, Pappas remains the favourite, but his lead has dropped by double digits, according to some polls.

Pappas’s closest opponent is democratic socialist Karishma Manzur, who has picked up support, in part, over her calls to “end US complicity in the genocide of Palestinians”. While Pappas has stressed the importance of the current US-Israel relationship, the congressman has also said he supports a two-state solution and “increasing” aid to Gaza.

Manzur has criticised Pappas for connections to political donors, including those connected to Israel.

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Pappas last week. Harris’s support, which Pappas said he was “proud” to receive, could help him across the finish line in the state’s Democratic primary, where most of the party’s voters lean more moderate. Pappas has served in the US House since 2019 and has held elected office almost continuously since graduating from college in 2002. He defeated Karoline Leavitt in his 2022 reelection bid before her stint as Trump’s White House press secretary.

In the Republican primary, Sununu is running to recapture the Senate seat he once held before being defeated by Shaheen in 2008. He faces Scott Brown, also a former senator who once held Massachusetts US Senator Elizabeth Warren’s seat, along with seven other opponents.

Sununu has been trying to put distance between himself and Trump. Trump is, however, backing Sununu over Brown in the primary, despite an ongoing war of words he’s had with Sununu’s family over the years — Sununu’s father and brother have both served as governor, and all have been critical of Trump.

Brown won a special election in Massachusetts after the death of Senator Ted Kennedy in 2009, lost his seat three years later, and unsuccessfully challenged Shaheen in 2014. In Trump’s first administration, Brown served as the US Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee speaks at the local Democratic Party headquarters in Johnston, Rhode Island, the US [File: David Goldman/AP Photo]

In Rhode Island, can an unpopular sitting Democratic governor fight off a challenge?

When does voting in Rhode Island start? With the exception of one town, voting starts on Wednesday, September 9 at 7am (11:00 GMT).

When does voting in Rhode Island end? Polls close at 8pm on Wednesday (00:00 GMT on Thursday).

Unlike other states this election cycle, the biggest race in Rhode Island is for governor, not for seats in the US Congress.

Vulnerable Democratic Governor Dan McKee is fighting off a strong primary challenge from pharmacy executive Helena Foulkes.

The highly unpopular incumbent has trailed Foulkes, whose grandfather and uncle were both lawmakers in the neighbouring US state of Connecticut, by as much as 38 points, according to a recent poll. Foulkes has also outraised McKee.

This race is a rematch of a bitter, hard-fought primary four years ago, when McKee, who had been elevated to governor when his predecessor became former US President Joe Biden’s commerce secretary, narrowly beat Foulkes in a crowded race.

While most of this year’s competitive midterm primaries have centred on ideological or generational differences, the outcome of this race could come down to complaints about a freeway bridge in Providence, the state’s largest city, that was partially closed in 2023 due to safety issues.

The resulting congestion and economic fallout caused by the closure have fuelled strong voter resentment towards McKee, one of the most endangered elected Democrats this cycle. Should McKee be unsuccessful in warding off Foulkes, he would become the first sitting US governor to lose a primary in eight years.

In the Republican primary, Aaron Guckian and Elaine Pelino are vying for the nomination. Guckian is a state trade association executive and was the nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022. He won the two-way primary that year with about 68 percent of the vote. Pelino is a former actress and first-time candidate. The state’s Republican Party has endorsed Guckian.

It’s been 20 years since Rhode Island elected a Republican governor.

美国中期选举的一些主要议题将在新英格兰各州最引人注目的几场选举中得到体现。

在美国罗德岛州普罗维登斯，一块指示牌引导选民前往该州即将举行的初选的提前投票入口。[图片：David Goldman/AP Photo]

美国新罕布什尔州和罗德岛州的选民本周将前往投票站，选出参加今年11月美国中期选举的民主党和共和党候选人。

这场竞选季充满了意想不到的曲折，从民主党进步派的持续壮大到唐纳德·特朗普总统支持的共和党候选人的参选结果喜忧参半，这些初选标志着美国最终决定哪个党将控制美国国会两院之前的最后几场初选。

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特朗普支持的三个团体中的第三个宣布，将在德克萨斯州中期参议院选举中投入1000万美元广告费。

在此之前，新英格兰一些州最引人注目的竞选中的候选人将不得不应对本次中期选举的一些最大议题：共和党人应该在多大程度上与特朗普保持一致，以及民主党现任议员能否击败党内初选挑战者。

以下是值得关注的比赛：

美国新罕布什尔州众议员克里斯·帕帕斯宣布竞选接替即将退休的美国参议员珍妮·沙欣（同为民主党人），地点为美国新罕布什尔州曼彻斯特。[图片：罗伯特·F·布卡蒂/美联社照片]

在新罕布什尔州，一场争夺接替即将退休的参议员的斗争正在进行

新罕布什尔州的投票何时开始？全州各地的投票站开放时间各不相同，但所有投票站都必须在9月8日星期二上午11点（格林尼治标准时间15:00）之前开放。

新罕布什尔州的投票何时结束？各投票站的关闭时间也不尽相同，但州法律规定投票站不得早于晚上 7 点（格林尼治标准时间 23:00）关闭。

新罕布什尔州最引人注目的竞选将决定哪两位候选人将角逐，以接替即将卸任的民主党参议员珍妮·沙欣。

美国众议员克里斯·帕帕斯已成为民主党总统候选人提名的领跑者。共和党方面，约翰·苏努努出身于该州最显赫的政治世家，拥有极高的知名度。

民主党人一直希望保住这个席位，这对于他们夺回目前由共和党控制的美国参议院至关重要。但参议院共和党竞选机构最近对可能投票的选民进行的民调显示，苏努努以一个百分点的优势领先帕帕斯。这项在八月底进行的调查发现，近四分之一的选民尚未决定投票意向。

然而，如果这两位候选人在周二的初选中获胜，他们可能不得不面对各自党内高层人士的行动，这可能会使他们的竞选活动变得复杂。

根据一些民调显示，在民主党初选中，帕帕斯仍然是热门人选，但他的领先优势已经下降了两位数。

帕帕斯最强劲的对手是民主社会主义者卡里什玛·曼祖尔，她之所以获得一些支持，部分原因是她呼吁“结束美国对巴勒斯坦人种族灭绝的共谋”。帕帕斯虽然强调了当前美以关系的重要性，但这位国会议员也表示支持两国方案，并支持“增加”对加沙的援助。

曼祖尔批评帕帕斯与政治捐助者有联系，其中包括与以色列有联系的捐助者。

美国前副总统卡马拉·哈里斯上周公开支持帕帕斯。帕帕斯表示，他“很荣幸”获得哈里斯的支持，这可能有助于他在该州民主党初选中胜出。该州的民主党选民大多倾向于温和派。帕帕斯自2019年起担任美国众议员，自2002年大学毕业以来，他几乎一直担任公职。在卡罗琳·莱维特担任特朗普白宫新闻秘书之前，帕帕斯曾在2022年的连任竞选中击败了她。

在共和党初选中，苏努努正在竞选重新夺回他曾在2008年被沙欣击败之前担任的参议院席位。他将与斯科特·布朗（也是一位前参议员，曾担任马萨诸塞州美国参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦的席位）以及其他七位对手展开角逐。

苏努努一直试图与特朗普保持距离。然而，尽管多年来特朗普与苏努努家族一直存在口水战——苏努努的父亲和哥哥都曾担任州长，而且他们都对特朗普持批评态度——特朗普在初选中仍然支持苏努努而不是布朗。

2009 年参议员泰德·肯尼迪去世后，布朗在马萨诸塞州赢得了一场特别选举，三年后失去了席位，并在 2014 年挑战沙欣失败。在特朗普的第一届政府中，布朗担任美国驻新西兰和萨摩亚大使。

美国罗德岛州州长丹·麦基在罗德岛州约翰斯顿当地民主党总部发表讲话。[图片：David Goldman/AP Photo]

在罗德岛，一位不受欢迎的民主党现任州长能否抵御挑战？

罗德岛的投票何时开始？除一个城镇外，投票将于9月9日星期三上午7点（格林尼治标准时间11:00）开始。

罗德岛的投票何时结束？投票将于周三晚上 8 点结束（格林尼治标准时间周四 00:00）。

与其他州不同，罗德岛州本次选举周期中最重要的一场竞选是州长选举，而不是美国国会席位选举。

处境岌岌可危的民主党州长丹·麦基正在抵御来自药房高管海伦娜·福克斯的强劲党内初选挑战。

根据最近的一项民调显示，这位极不受欢迎的现任议员落后于福克斯多达38个百分点。福克斯的祖父和叔叔都曾是邻近的美国康涅狄格州的议员。福克斯的筹款额也超过了麦基。

这场竞选是四年前一场激烈初选的重演。当时，麦基的前任成为美国前总统乔·拜登的商务部长，麦基因此被提拔为州长，并在竞争激烈的初选中险胜福克斯。

虽然今年大多数竞争激烈的中期选举初选都集中在意识形态或代际差异上，但这场选举的结果可能取决于对该州最大城市普罗维登斯一座高速公路桥的投诉，该桥因安全问题于 2023 年部分关闭。

道路封闭造成的交通拥堵和经济衰退，加剧了选民对麦基的强烈不满。麦基是本届选举中最岌岌可危的民主党民选官员之一。如果麦基未能击败福克斯，他将成为八年来首位在党内初选中落败的现任州长。

在共和党初选中，亚伦·古基安和伊莱恩·佩利诺正在角逐提名。古基安是州贸易协会的负责人，曾是2022年副州长候选人。当年，他在两党初选中以约68%的得票率获胜。佩利诺曾是一名演员，此次是首次参选。该州共和党已公开支持古基安。

罗德岛已经20年没有选出共和党州长了。