# 2014 New Hampshire gubernatorial election

Elections in New Hampshire :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1788–89
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Local
Dixville Notch
Hart's Location
United States Senate elections
1788
1789
1792
1794
1798
1798 (sp)
1800
1801 (sp)
1802 (sp)
1804
1807
1810
1810 (sp)
1813 (sp)
1814 (sp)
1816
1817 (sp)
1818
1819
1823
1825
1846 (sp)
1831
1835
1836 (sp)
1837
1841
1842 (sp)
1843
1846
1852
1855
1855 (sp)
1857 (sp)
1859
1861
1864
1870
1872
1876
1879 (sp)
1883 (sp)
1885 (sp)
1887 (sp)
1889 (sp)
1891
1895
1897
1901
1903
1907
1909
1913
1914
1918
1918 (sp)
1920
1924
1926
1930
1932
1936
1938
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1954 (sp)
1956
1960
1962
1962 (sp)
1966
1968
1972
1974/5
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
2016
2020
2022
United States House elections
1789
1789 (sp)
1790
1792
1794
1796
1797 (sp)
1798
1799 (sp)
1800 (sp)
1800
1802 (sp)
1802
1804
1806
1808
1810/1811
1812
1814
1814 (sp)
1816
1819
1820
1822/1823
1824/1825
1825 (sp)
1827
1829
1831
1833
1835
1837
1839
1841
1843
1845/1846
1847
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1917 (sp 1st)
1920
1928
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1954
1956
1968
1972
1980
1984
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
Gubernatorial elections
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1809
1810
1811
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
Mar. 1878
Nov. 1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Executive Council elections
2018
2020
2022
2024
General Court elections
2004
2006
Senate elections
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House elections
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Manchester
Mayoral elections
19th century
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856 (Mar)
1856 (Nov)
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1875
1876
1877
1878 (Mar)
1878 (Nov)
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
20th century
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1927
1929
1931
1933
1935
1937
1939
1941
1943
1945
1947
1949
1951
1953
1955
1957
1959
1961
1963
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
21st century
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023 :
vte :
The 2014 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of New Hampshire, concurrently with the election to New Hampshire's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic governor Maggie Hassan ran for re-election to a second term in office. She defeated the Republican nominee, businessman Walt Havenstein. As of 2025, this is the last time a Democrat was elected Governor of New Hampshire.

## Background

Incumbent Democratic governor John Lynch decided to retire in 2012, rather than seek re-election to a fifth term in office. The Democratic nominee, former State Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan, defeated the Republican nominee, attorney and 1996 gubernatorial nominee Ovide M. Lamontagne, 55% to 43%.
New Hampshire and Vermont are the only states in the country whose governors are elected every two years. On only one occasion since 1924 has a first-term governor of New Hampshire been defeated for re-election to a second term: in 2004, when Lynch beat incumbent Republican governor Craig Benson.
Hassan had high approval ratings. An April 2014 WMUR/University of New Hampshire poll found that 57% of registered voters approved of the job she was doing, 58% had a favorable opinion of her, and 70% thought the state was going in the right direction. For these reasons, Hassan was not considered vulnerable going into the election. The Cook Political Report, Daily Kos Elections, Governing and Sabato's Crystal Ball all considered the race "likely Democratic" and RealClearPolitics and The Rothenberg Political Report rated the race "safe Democratic".

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Ian Freeman, radio show host
* Maggie Hassan, incumbent governor
* Clecia Terrio, candidate for the State House in 2012
Hassan won the Democratic Party primary, held on September 9, 2014, with 94.3% of the votes cast.

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Daniel J. Greene
* Walt Havenstein, businessman
* Andrew Hemingway, businessman, Tea Party activist and candidate for Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee in 2013
* Jonathan Smolin
Havenstein won the Republican Party primary, held on September 9, 2014, with 55.6% of the votes cast.

#### Declined

* William Harrison Binnie, industrialist, investment banker and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
* Jeb Bradley, Majority Leader of the New Hampshire Senate and former U.S. representative
* Brad Cook, attorney
* Jeanie Forrester, state senator
* Ted Gatsas, Mayor of Manchester
* Frank Guinta, former U.S. representative (ran for NH-01)
* Gary Lambert, former state senator (ran for NH-02)
* George Lambert, state representative
* Ovide Lamontagne, businessman, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and nominee for governor in 1996 and 2012
* Chuck Morse, state senator
* Bob Odell, state senator
* John Reagan, state senator
* Chuck Rolecek, businessman and candidate for the Executive Council of New Hampshire in 2012
* Andy Sanborn, state senator
* Kevin H. Smith, conservative activist, former state representative and candidate for governor in 2012
* John Stephen, former Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services and nominee for governor in 2010
* Christopher Sununu, Executive Councillor, son of former governor John H. Sununu and brother of former U.S. senator John E. Sununu (ran for re-election)
* John E. Sununu, former U.S. senator

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Binnie | Ted Gatsas | Daniel Greene | Walt Havenstein | Andrew Hemingway | George Lambert | Chuck Morse | Jonathan Smolin | Other | Undecided |
| Suffolk | June 14–18, 2014 | 419 | ±4.8% | — | — | 3.82% | 12.89% | 6.92% | — | — | 1.67% | — | 74.7% |
| Vox Populi Polling | May 14–15, 2014 | ? | ±5.2% | — | — | — | 12% | 12% | — | — | — | — | 76% |
| Suffolk | Feb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014 | 426 | ± ? | 8.45% | 15.02% | — | — | 1.88% | 1.88% | 7.04% | — | — | 65.72% |

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Walter Havenstein | 62,766 | 55.7 |
| | Republican | Andrew Hemingway | 42,005 | 37.3 |
| | Republican | Daniel Greene | 5,362 | 4.8 |
| | Republican | Jonathan Smolin | 2,620 | 2.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 112,753 | 100 |

## General election
### Debates

* Complete video of debate, October 22, 2014

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Lean D | November 3, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Likely D | November 3, 2014 |
| Real Clear Politics | Tossup | November 3, 2014 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Walt Havenstein (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 1–3, 2014 | 1,690 | ± 2.4% | 51% | 46% | — | 3% |
| WMUR/UNH | October 29–November 2, 2014 | 757 | ± 3.6% | 47% | 43% | 1% | 9% |
| New England College | October 31–November 1, 2014 | 1,526 | ± 2.51% | 51% | 44% | 2% | 3% |
| Rasmussen Reports | October 29–30, 2014 | 940 | ± 3% | 51% | 42% | — | 7% |
| Vox Populi Polling | October 27–28, 2014 | 638 | ± 3.9% | 44% | 47% | — | 7% |
| WMUR/UNH | October 19–22, 2014 | 555 | ± 4.2% | 52% | 37% | 1% | 11% |
| American Research Group | October 19–22, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 48% | 46% | — | 6% |
| New England College | October 24, 2014 | 1,132 | ± 2.91% | 47% | 47% | 2% | 4% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | October 16–23, 2014 | 1,042 | ± 4% | 47% | 38% | 1% | 13% |
| American Research Group | October 19–22, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 53% | 43% | — | 4% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 20–21, 2014 | 764 | ± ? | 53% | 43% | — | 4% |
| CNN/ORC | October 18–21, 2014 | 645 LV | ± 4% | 51% | 45% | — | 4% |
| CNN/ORC | October 18–21, 2014 | 877 RV | ± 3.5% | 54% | 40% | — | 5% |
| UMass Lowell | October 15–21, 2014 | 643 LV | ± 4.5% | 49% | 45% | — | 7% |
| UMass Lowell | October 15–21, 2014 | 900 RV | ± 3.8% | 49% | 40% | — | 11% |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | October 16–19, 2014 | 500 | ± ? | 49% | 39% | — | 11% |
| New England College | October 16, 2014 | 921 | ± 3.23% | 51% | 43% | 3% | 4% |
| New England College | October 9, 2014 | 1,081 | ± 2.98% | 49% | 44% | 3% | 5% |
| High Point University | October 4–8, 2014 | 824 | ± 3.4% | 50% | 42% | 4% | 4% |
| WMUR/UNH | September 29–October 5, 2014 | 532 | ± 4.2% | 46% | 36% | 2% | 16% |
| New England College | October 3, 2014 | 1,286 | ± 2.73% | 51% | 41% | 3% | 4% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | September 20–October 1, 2014 | 1,260 | ± 3% | 49% | 39% | 0% | 12% |
| New England College | September 26, 2014 | 1,331 | ± 2.69% | 48% | 44% | 3% | 5% |
| American Research Group | September 27–29, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 55% | 40% | — | 5% |
| New England College | September 19–20, 2014 | 1,494 | ± 2.54% | 52% | 40% | 4% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 18–19, 2014 | 652 | ± 3.8% | 52% | 43% | — | 4% |
| Vox Populi Polling | September 15–16, 2014 | 550 | ± 4.2% | 47% | 43% | — | 10% |
| American Research Group | September 12–15, 2014 | 544 | ± 4.2% | 48% | 40% | — | 12% |
| New England College | September 10–11, 2014 | 630 | ± 3.98% | 51% | 36% | 4% | 9% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 10–11, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 51% | 40% | 3% | 6% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | August 18–September 2, 2014 | 1,159 | ± 4% | 51% | 34% | 3% | 13% |
| WMUR/UNH | August 7–17, 2014 | 609 | ± 4% | 49% | 32% | 1% | 18% |
| National Research/RGA | August 10–13, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 42% | 37% | 1% | 18% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | July 5–24, 2014 | 1,246 | ± 2.9% | 53% | 38% | 2% | 7% |
| WMUR/UNH | June 19–July 1, 2014 | 669 | ± 3.8% | 58% | 29% | 1% | 10% |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | June 14–18, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 51% | 19% | 3% | 28% |
| American Research Group | June 14–18, 2014 | 540 | ± 4.2% | 45% | 32% | — | 23% |
| Vox Populi Polling | May 14–15, 2014 | 707 | ± 3.6% | 43% | 30% | — | 27% |
| Rockefeller Center | April 21–25, 2014 | 412 | ± 4.8% | 40% | 19% | — | 41% |
| WMUR/UNH | April 1–9, 2014 | 387 | ± 5% | 49% | 19% | 2% | 30% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Bill Binnie (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | Feb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 55% | 26% | — | 20% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 9–12, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 51% | 31% | — | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Jeb Bradley (R) | Other | Undecided |
| New England College | May 2–5, 2013 | 807 | ± 3.27% | 55% | 24% | — | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 19–21, 2013 | 933 | ± 3.2% | 52% | 38% | — | 10% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Brad Cook (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | September 13–16, 2013 | 1,038 | ± 3% | 49% | 34% | — | 17% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Ted Gatsas (R) | Other | Undecided |
| WMUR/UNH | April 1–9, 2014 | 387 | ± 5% | 50% | 27% | 1% | 23% |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | Feb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 53% | 28% | — | 19% |
| WMUR/UNH | January 21–26, 2014 | 584 | ± 4.1% | 45% | 34% | 2% | 19% |
| New England College | October 7–9, 2013 | 1,063 | ± 3% | 53% | 25% | — | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 19–21, 2013 | 933 | ± 3.2% | 51% | 35% | — | 15% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Daniel Greene (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | June 14–18, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 53% | 13% | 4% | 31% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Frank Guinta (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | April 19–21, 2013 | 933 | ± 3.2% | 54% | 36% | — | 9% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Andrew Hemingway (R) | Other | Undecided |
| WMUR/UNH | August 7–17, 2014 | 609 | ± 4% | 51% | 31% | 1% | 17% |
| WMUR/UNH | June 19–July 1, 2014 | 669 | ± 3.8% | 54% | 28% | 0% | 18% |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | June 14–18, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 51% | 17% | 3% | 29% |
| Vox Populi Polling | May 14–15, 2014 | 707 | ± 3.6% | 42% | 31% | — | 27% |
| Hickman Analytics | April 24–30, 2014 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 50% | 28% | — | 22% |
| Rockefeller Center | April 21–25, 2014 | 412 | ± 4.8% | 40% | 20% | — | 40% |
| WMUR/UNH | April 1–9, 2014 | 387 | ± 5% | 49% | 22% | 1% | 28% |
| American Research Group | March 13–16, 2014 | 533 | ± 4.2% | 45% | 30% | — | 25% |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | Feb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 56% | 23% | — | 21% |
| WMUR/UNH | January 21–26, 2014 | 584 | ± 4.1% | 48% | 27% | 2% | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 9–12, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 51% | 25% | — | 23% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | George Lambert (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | Feb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 55% | 22% | — | 23% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 9–12, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 50% | 26% | — | 23% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 13–16, 2013 | 1,038 | ± 3% | 49% | 32% | — | 20% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Chuck Morse (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | Feb. 27–Mar. 5, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 56% | 23% | — | 21% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 9–12, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 50% | 27% | — | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 13–16, 2013 | 1,038 | ± 3% | 49% | 33% | — | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Andy Sanborn (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | September 13–16, 2013 | 1,038 | ± 3% | 49% | 32% | — | 19% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Kevin Smith (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | April 19–21, 2013 | 933 | ± 3.2% | 52% | 32% | — | 16% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Jonathan Smolin (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Suffolk/Boston Herald | June 14–18, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 52% | 15% | 3% | 31% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Maggie Hassan (D) | Christopher T. Sununu (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | April 19–21, 2013 | 933 | ± 3.2% | 53% | 37% | — | 10% |

### Results

2014 New Hampshire gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Maggie Hassan (incumbent) | 254,666 | 52.37% | −2.24% |
| | Republican | Walt Havenstein | 230,610 | 47.43% | +4.91% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 976 | 0.20% | +0.10% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 486,183 | 100.00% | N/A |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

#### Counties that swung from Democratic to Republican

* Belknap (largest city: Laconia)
* Hillsborough (largest municipality: Manchester)
* Rockingham (largest municipality: Derry)

#### By congressional district

Hassan won both congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican.
| District | Hassan | Havenstein | Representative |
| 1st | 50.86% | 49.14% | Frank Guinta |
| 2nd | 54.11% | 45.89% | Annie Kuster |