UPDATE at 2:45 a.m.: Sununu has beaten Democrat Van Ostern to become the nation’s youngest governor at 42.
Concord
Buoyed by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s strong showing across the country, Tuesday night’s election saw Chris Sununu beating Colin Van Ostern 49 percent to 46 percent as of 12:30 a.m.
Chris Sununu briefly addressed his crowd of supporters at the Grappone Center in Concord around 12:30. The audience chanted his name and waved campaign signs in the air. “Look at what’s happening in the country,” Sununu said. “Today is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do it right, to come together as a party, to come together as a country. This country is going to need some real healing after the election cycle we went through, but it’s worth it.”
Sununu pledged to keep the watch party going until the race was called, poking fun at his Democratic opponent for calling it a night early and without making an appearance.
“It is about you guys,” Sununu said. “As we know, the opponents went home. We are going to stay here, the night is going to keep going.”
The mood was very different at the Manchester Radisson, where Van Ostern and the New Hampshire Democratic Party were sharing an election night party Tuesday night.
The atmosphere was tense from the beginning of the evening, as Trump started creeping up in the country’s electoral math. People sipped drinks and stared blankly at election results streaming in on MSNBC.
Disappointed cries alternated with cheers as key states were called for Trump and Clinton. As the night dragged on, the crowd had thinned out significantly.
Van Ostern did not address the crowd before the election night party shut down at midnight. Instead, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley spoke, telling the crowd to go home and get some sleep.
“We have at least Chris Pappas and Andru Volinsky on the Executive Council,” Buckley said “We have picked up at least one state Senate seat, if not more, and the House will take some time.”
Sounding not at all confident, Buckley nevertheless tried to bolster the crowd’s hopes Democrats could still win the state’s top races.
“We are going to be able to have a great celebration about tomorrow,” he said.
By contrast, the mood inside Concord’s Grappone Center was jovial as Republicans watched the country’s electoral math turn red. The packed room erupted in spontaneous cheers every time polls projected on big screen televisions showed Sununu’s lead holding steady.
Candidates typically don’t emerge until they are ready to make an election night speech, but Sununu broke precedent, watching the election returns come in with his supporters. The executive councilor mingled with the crowd throughout the night, shaking hands and taking photos with supporters.
The race for governor has been close throughout the campaign season. Polls had shown Van Ostern with a slim lead since the primary, but Sununu surged ahead in four polls last week.
Both candidates said they knew the race would be close as they campaigned across the state on Tuesday.
“Consistently all the polls have us up by three to four points,” Sununu said as he greeted voters in Bedford. “I think it’s going to be closer than that. I think it’s going to be a one- or two-point race. I have always believed that.”
The men share a similar political trajectory — both serving on the Executive Council before running for governor. They differed on key issues throughout the race, including bringing a commuter rail line to New Hampshire’s southern cities and the Northern Pass hydro-electric project.
Earlier in the day, Sununu noted the record turnout in the state, saying it was the first time ever he had to wait in line to cast his ballot at the Newfields Town Hall.
“I’ve never seen it like that,” Sununu said. “I’ve literally never had to wait more than one or two people in line, and it took me 10 to 15 minutes.”
Sununu said the high turnout made him hopeful.
“People are coming out that typically might not have voted before, or maybe haven’t voted in a while, but they’re coming out,” he said. “They want some change. … I think that gives us a lot of positivity, energy and optimism that tonight’s going to be a great night.”
After voting at his Concord polling place at 7:30 a.m., Van Ostern sounded similarly optimistic.
“I feel great, I think a lot of people have been waiting for this day to happen, there’s incredible turnout here in my neighborhood in Concord, and I think we’re going to see that all across the state,” Van Ostern told reporters Tuesday morning.
“I think people are excited to take our next step forward as a state, and also move forward as a country tomorrow.”