Ayotte holds small lead over Craig in latest NH governor's poll; Harris ahead of Trump

Republican Kelly Ayotte holds a 3-point lead over Democrat Joyce Craig in the tight race for New Hampshire governor, according to the latest Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll.

Ayotte now leads Craig, 47%-44%, as both gained 1 point of support since the last Saint Anselm poll.

Democrat Joyce Craig (left) and Republican Kelly Ayotte are in a close 2024 election battle to be New Hampshire's next governor.
Democrat Joyce Craig (left) and Republican Kelly Ayotte are in a close 2024 election battle to be New Hampshire's next governor.

The poll, which was released Thursday, shows Ayotte's favorability ratting is now -2% (47-49), which is improved from a -5 rating in the last Saint Anselm poll in September. Craig's favorability rating slipped to -4% (40-44) from +1.

More: NH's Ayotte vs. Craig is closest governor's race in US.. Experts explain why it matters.

Craig and Ayotte were neck and neck in a UNH Survey Center poll in mid-September with Craig leading, 47%-46%.

The race has featured heavy advertising with ads attacking each candidate.

"Kelly Ayotte has improved her image somewhat while driving up Joyce Craig’s negatives, helping her pick up a point of ballot strength from previously undecided voters,” said Neil Levesque, executive director of the NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm.

Kamala Harris maintains lead over Donald Trump in NH poll

Vice President Kamala Harris continues to lead Donald Trump in New Hampshire, holding a 51%-44% lead, according to the Saint Anselm poll. Her lead is down 1 point since the September poll conducted by Saint Anselm. The UNH poll in mid-September showed Harris with an 11-point lead over Trump.

Harris has +2 favorability rating (51%-49%), down from +3 in September. Trump is at -13 (43%-56%), an improvement from -16 last month. Voters in New Hampshire believe Harris would do a better job of improving the nation’s economy, 48%-47%. Trump leads Harris on the question of border security, 50%-42%.

Pappas, Goodlander lead U.S. House races in NH

Democratic congressional candidates still enjoy solid leads. Incumbent Chris Pappas leads former Executive Councilor Russell Prescott in the 1st Congressional District by 9 points (50%-41%), while former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maggie Goodlander continues to lead entrepreneur Lily Tang Williams, 50%-38%.

The poll is based on online surveys of 2,104 New Hampshire likely voters Oct. 1-2 with overall margin of sampling error of +/- 2.1%, according to Saint Anselm's pollsters.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kelly Ayotte, Kamala Harris lead races in NH poll