NEW HAMPSHIRE: Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan Announces 2016 Bid For US Senate

Democrats will have an opportunity to flip a battleground Senate seat in 2016 as New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan today announced her bid to unseat GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte. The Hill reports:

Democrats have been pushing Hassan to run, as polling shows she’s the only Democrat in the state who is competitive in a head-to-head match-up against Ayotte. Recent polling shows the two are neck-and-neck, with Ayotte holding a narrow early advantage. Ayotte will begin from a position of strength financially. She raised $1.5 million in the second quarter, bringing her total cash-on-hand to $4 million. Outside conservative groups have already begun spending on Ayotte’s behalf in the race. However, Democrats should benefit from a turnout advantage in a presidential election year. A Republican presidential candidate has not carried the Granite State since 2000. If a Democrat again carries the state again in 2016, it will be tough for Ayotte to overcome. The National Republican Senatorial Committee signaled the GOP will go hard after Hassan’s record as governor, seeking to frame her as a tax-and-spend liberal. The NRSC has also dubbed Hassan “Governor Gridlock.”

Thirty-four Senate seats are up for election in 2016: 7 Democrats and 21 Republicans are so far seeking re-election.