The White House is preparing to play hardball with New Hampshire over midterm redistricting of the state’s congressional maps, according to a report from Politico.
It’s no secret that redistricting has been a thorn in the New Hampshire GOP’s side since Gov. Chris Sununu stunned his party in 2022 by vetoing a Republican-friendly map he helped draft. As a result, the state has been using court-approved districts, not a map passed by lawmakers.
During the 2024 campaign, Gov. Kelly Ayotte appeared open to the possibility of signing off on a new map, telling NHJournal that Sununu’s handling of redistricting was an example of something she would have done differently than the four-term incumbent.
Since then, however, Ayotte has made it clear she does not support going back to the district drawing board midway through the 10-year election cycle.
“We’re already halfway through the census. I believe if the legislature was going to act on this, they should have already acted on this,” Ayotte told WMUR. “So we’re heading into the next census already. We’re, like, halfway through. I do think the timing is off for this.”
That’s not what the White House wants to hear, Politico reported Wednesday.
“A person familiar with the White House’s thinking told West Wing Playbook that Trump’s team doesn’t plan to back off New Hampshire, citing interest in the Republican-controlled legislature, which only needs to reach a simple majority to pass a new map,” Politico wrote. “In fact, the person said, the White House is prepared to use a take-no-prisoners approach.”
State Sen. Dan Innis (R-Bradford), who’s running for U.S. Senate, pledged to file redistricting legislation in the September filing period. On Wednesday, he confirmed to NHJournal that the bill has been filed.
House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) was at the UNH Charlie Kirk vigil Wednesday night. Asked about the Politico piece and the ongoing debate about redrawing the maps, Osborne invoked the fallen GOP activist.
“Charlie Kirk famously said, ‘If we stop talking, bad things happen.’ Well, New Hampshire has the highest population of unrepresented voters in the entire country, voters boxed out of the conversation by an anti-democratic congressional map. It’s long past time to strengthen our republic by passing a map that better represents all Granite Staters. We must finish the job today.”
But multiple sources inside New Hampshire GOP politics told NHJournal on background that the only person in the conversation who matters is Ayotte.
It also doesn’t help that the redistricting issue has become associated with Trump. If Ayotte reverses course and backs new maps, Democrats will attack her for doing the president’s bidding, several Republicans said.
“What’s the White House going to threaten her with?” one GOP insider asked. “Despite what many in Concord may believe, we aren’t in Texas, Missouri, or Indiana.”
