Lean Democratic · NH

Is New Hampshire a Red or Blue State?

New Hampshire holds the first-in-the-nation primary by state law and guards the position aggressively. Its semi-open rules let undeclared voters choose either ballot, which reliably advantages candidates with crossover appeal and can scramble national polling assumptions overnight.

Electoral votes
4
D +2.8 in 2024

Red State or Blue State?

New Hampshire is a light blue state — Democratic-leaning at the presidential level but genuinely competitive downballot. It has gone Democratic in every presidential race since 2004, yet margins have stayed inside single digits and Republicans routinely win the governorship, making it the most volatile of the early states.

Classification
Light blue state
Electoral votes
4
2024 margin
D +2.8
Primary order
#2

Democratic in six of the last seven presidential elections

New Hampshire 2028 Primary Outlook

Because undeclared voters can pull either ballot, a lopsided contest on one side pushes independents toward the other, which historically compresses frontrunner margins. Retail events and town halls matter more here per voter than anywhere else on the calendar.

Democratic field

CandidateSupport
Gavin Newsom21%
Gretchen Whitmer19%
Josh Shapiro17%

Republican field

CandidateSupport
J.D. Vance29%
Glenn Youngkin14%
Ron DeSantis13%

New Hampshire 2028 General Election Outlook

Four electoral votes, but a persistent tossup in close national environments. Both parties will spend here in the general, and a campaign that overperforms in the primary usually banks lasting organizational advantage.

Recent Presidential Results

YearWinnerMargin
2024DemocraticD +2.8
2020DemocraticD +7.4
2016DemocraticD +0.4
2012DemocraticD +5.6