New Hampshire and Rhode Island hold primaries amid competitive races; Trump escalates Bombardier dispute
Primary voters in two states choose candidates across multiple offices as an incumbent governor faces renomination risk, while the Trump administration issues ultimatums on aircraft manufacturing and challenges election-related executive orders mount.
What happened
New Hampshire and Rhode Island voters are holding primaries over two days to nominate candidates for federal, state, and local offices. In New Hampshire, Senator Jeanne Shaheen's decision not to seek reelection has created competitive races: eight Republicans, including former Senators John Sununu and Scott Brown whom Shaheen previously defeated, are vying for the nomination; on the Democratic side, five candidates including US Representative Chris Pappas are competing for the nomination. Pappas's departure from his 1st district seat has drawn multiple candidates for that seat, including Shaheen's daughter Stefany and former candidate Maura Sullivan. In Rhode Island, Governor Dan McKee faces a tough Democratic primary challenge from Helena Buonanno Foulkes, a former CVS executive who placed second behind McKee in the 2022 primary. McKee risks becoming the nation's first elected governor since 2014 to lose renomination. Separately, President Trump posted on Truth Social demanding that Canadian jet maker Bombardier manufacture planes in the US or lose market access, stating their products "aren't good enough" and accusing the company of treating America like a "piggybank."
Context
Shaheen's retirement has triggered cascading competitive races in New Hampshire across multiple offices and candidate levels. McKee's vulnerability after winning by a wide margin two years ago represents significant political risk for an incumbent. Trump's Bombardier ultimatum occurs amid escalating trade tensions with Canada, which plans counter-tariffs for Tuesday; Bombardier has substantial US operations including 3,500 employees, 2,800 suppliers, and multiple manufacturing and service facilities, making the dispute consequential for US-based workers and supply chains. Additionally, advocacy groups are mounting legal challenges to Trump's executive orders on voting and elections, and the HHS has released a report on gender ideology that scientists characterize as poorly conducted and politically motivated, amid administration efforts to restrict gender-affirming care access.