Advertisement

The Latest: Negron wins 2nd District Republican nomination

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The Latest on the New Hampshire primary election (all times local):

10:35 a.m.

A state lawmaker who served in the Air Force and worked in the defense industry has won the Republican nomination for the state's 2nd Congressional District and will face Democratic incumbent Annie Kuster in November.

Steven Negron defeated six other GOP candidates to get his party's nomination in Tuesday's primary. Kuster sailed through the primary unopposed.

Negron was part of an intercontinental ballistic missile combat crew member in Missouri and at Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colo. He's a gun rights candidate who has campaigned on stopping illegal immigration and balancing the federal budget.

Negron says he wants to help small businesses like the one he founded, Nashua-based Integron.

He defeated whistle-blowing doctor Stewart Levenson and five other Republicans.

___

1:05 a.m.

A New Hampshire doctor making a run for Congress has conceded a tight primary race to his Republican rival.

Stewart Levenson's campaign says he has called state lawmaker Steven Negron to concede Negron's victory in Tuesday's GOP primary to face Democratic incumbent Rep. Annie Kuster. She sailed through unopposed.

The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in the race.

Negron served in the Air Force and worked in the defense industry.

Negron was part of an intercontinental ballistic missile combat crew member in Missouri and at Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colo. He is a gun rights candidate who has campaigned on stopping illegal immigration and balancing the federal budget.

Negron says he wants to help small businesses like the one he founded, Nashua-based Integron.

___

10:45 p.m.

A candidate endorsed by the Trump administration has won the Republican nomination for a U.S. House seat in New Hampshire, and he'd be the state's first black congressman if elected in November.

Eddie Edwards, of Dover, won a six-way race in Tuesday's GOP primary for the 1st Congressional District.

Edwards is a Navy veteran who also served as a police chief and as chief enforcement officer for the state liquor commission.

He sought to make the campaign about character and integrity and criticized his main rival, state Sen. Andy Sanborn, for Statehouse behavior that included making a sexually explicit comment to an intern. Edwards, who was endorsed by Trump administration attorney Rudy Giuliani, said he wants to bring public virtue back to politics.

The 1st District seat covers much of the eastern half of the state. It's being left vacant by Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, who is stepping down after four non-consecutive terms.

___

10:10 p.m.

New Hampshire's newly minted Democratic nominee for governor says Republican Gov. Chris Sununu should not underestimate her.

Molly Kelly, a former five-term state senator from Harrisville, defeated former Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand in Tuesday's primary. She says she's been underestimated before, but she managed to work her way through college as a single mom and later defeated a Republican leader in the state Senate to win her seat.

Kelly said strong Democratic turnout Tuesday should send a message that voters want a governor who will put the people first, not corporate special interests.

Sununu, who was unopposed in his primary, said he looks forward to promoting his pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda. He's campaigning for a second term.

___

9:05 p.m.

Bernie Sanders' son has come up short in his quest to win a Democratic primary for an open congressional seat in New Hampshire.

Levi Sanders is the son of the Vermont senator and former presidential hopeful. He had campaigned in a crowded field for the 1st Congressional District, which also drew 10 other Democrats.

Executive Councilor Chris Pappas, an openly gay former state lawmaker, won the race.

Sanders lives in Claremont, well outside the district, and didn't mount much of a campaign. He raised less than $12,000, a tiny fraction compared to the front-runners, former Obama administration official Maura Sullivan and Executive Councilor Chris Pappas.

Sanders frequently hammered his opponents for not supporting a Medicare for All, single-payer health care system. He told The Associated Press last week that he was counting on that issue driving voters to the polls.

His father didn't endorse him.

___

8:55 p.m.

Executive Councilor Chris Pappas has won an 11-way race for the Democratic nomination in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District.

Pappas had been viewed as one of two front-runners in Tuesday's crowded primary election field. The other, former Obama administration official Maura Sullivan, moved to New Hampshire last year and raised more money than all the other candidates combined.

Pappas is an openly gay former state lawmaker who is serving his third term on the governor's Executive Council and runs a family restaurant in Manchester. He had the backing of the state's two U.S. senators and said he is grounded in the issues that voters care about.

The 1st District seat covers much of the eastern half of the state. It's being left vacant by Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, who is stepping down after four non-consecutive terms.

___

8:40 p.m.

Democrat Molly Kelly will face Republican Gov. Chris Sununu in November after winning her party's nomination in New Hampshire.

Kelly, a former five-term state senator from Harrisville, defeated former Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand in Tuesday's primary. Though she got into the race nearly a year after her opponent, she quickly gained the support of key Democrats, including the state's two U.S. senators.

Kelly emphasized her experience as a single mother who raised three children while putting herself through college. While Marchand touted his progressive plans, Kelly said she has the track record to prove it on issues such as support for public education, women's rights and gun safety.

She accused Sununu of pandering to the Trump administration with his support of a school voucher bill that ultimately failed.

Sununu sailed through the primary unopposed. He's seeking a second term.

___

7 p.m.

Polls have begun closing in parts of New Hampshire, and Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has sailed through the primary unopposed.

Sununu will face the winner of Tuesday's Democratic gubernatorial primary in the November general election. Former state Sen. Molly Kelly and former Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand were vying for the chance to take on Sununu, who's seeking a second term.

Voters were also choosing candidates for an open seat to the U.S. House of Representatives and a Republican challenger in the state's other House seat.

Seven Republicans are competing to face U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster in the 2nd Congressional District, who also ran unopposed Tuesday, but most of the action has been in the eastern 1st District.

Chris Pappas and Maura Sullivan lead a crowd of 11 Democrats that also includes Levi Sanders, son of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Andy Sanborn and Eddie Edwards are considered to be the front-runners in the six-candidate Republican race.

Most polls closed at 7 p.m. EDT; the rest will follow at 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

___

11:30 a.m.

Voters across New Hampshire are headed to the polls to choose candidates for an open seat to the U.S. House of Representatives, a Republican challenger in the other House seat and a Democratic opponent for the incumbent governor.

New Hampshire's Tuesday primary comes eight weeks before November's general election.

Democrats Molly Kelly and Steve Marchand are vying to take on Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. Seven Republicans are competing to face U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster in the 2nd Congressional District, but most of the action has been in the eastern 1st District.

Chris Pappas and Maura Sullivan lead a crowd of 11 Democrats that also includes Levi Sanders, son of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Andy Sanborn and Eddie Edwards are considered to be the front-runners in the six-candidate Republican race.

____

10:40 p.m.

Despite its early presidential primary, New Hampshire is a straggler for state primaries.

Just eight weeks before the general election, voters on Tuesday are picking nominees for an open congressional seat in a swing district, a Republican challenger in the other U.S. House district and a Democratic opponent for the incumbent governor.

Democrats Molly Kelly and Steve Marchand are vying to take on Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. Seven Republicans are competing to face U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster in the 2nd Congressional District, but most of the action has been in the eastern 1st District.

Chris Pappas and Maura Sullivan lead a crowd of 11 Democrats that also includes Levi Sanders, son of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Andy Sanborn and Eddie Edwards are considered to be the front-runners in the six-candidate Republican race.