A new poll from the Saint Anselm College Survey Center (SACSC) at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) shows a shifting political landscape in New Hampshire, with Democrats gaining momentum since November.
Democrats now lead the generic ballot by eight points (49%–41%), widening their advantage from 46%–42% in November, while maintaining a strong enthusiasm gap. Despite these shifts, Donald Trump’s approval remains largely unchanged, with 58% of voters disapproving—virtually identical to 57% in November—and his unfavorable rating holding steady at 58%. Voters oppose recent U.S. military action in Iran (59% disapprove), and “elections/democracy” remains the top concern, followed by affordability, which has overtaken economy/inflation since the fall.
At the state level, Kelly Ayotte maintains a narrow approval edge (49%–47%), a slight softening from 49%–43% in November. New Hampshire voters also continue to oppose a state income tax strongly (71%), including a plurality of Democrats (47%–43%), reinforcing a consistent and longstanding position.
In federal races, Chris Pappas maintains leads in potential Senate matchups despite a 46%–46% favorability rating. He leads former Senators John E. Sununu (46%–43%) and Scott Brown (47%–38%). Maggie Goodlander has restored her lead in a potential rematch against Lily Tang Williams.
Looking ahead, Pete Buttigieg continues to lead the Democratic presidential primary field, while Vice President J. D. Vance remains the top Republican choice, though his support has dropped from 57% in November to 46%, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has risen from 9% to 27%.
Neil Levesque, Executive Director of the NH Institute of Politics, said, “War and economic uncertainty are creating headwinds for Republicans in New Hampshire, putting Congressman Chris Pappas in a stronger position than in our previous survey. Governor Kelly Ayotte maintains an edge over her challengers, and voters remain strongly opposed to a state income tax. We’re also seeing shifts in the presidential field, with Pete Buttigieg leading Democrats and Marco Rubio gaining among Republicans.”
These results are from a Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll based on online surveys of 1491 New Hampshire registered voters. Surveys were collected between March 16th and 18th, 2026, from cell phone users randomly drawn from a sample of registered voters reflecting the demographic and partisan characteristics of the voting population. Names were presented in random order for the favorability and ballot tests. The survey has an overall margin of sampling error of +/- 2.5% with a confidence interval of 95%. The data are weighted for age, gender, geography, education, and 2024 presidential vote based on a voter demographic model derived from historical voting patterns, but are not weighted by party registration or party identification.
Founded in 2001, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College provides a nonpartisan forum for discussion and debate. It seeks to develop programming, and to foster scholarship and dialogue, encompassing a diverse range of political topics, opinions and issues. The Institute serves as a resource for students, scholars, politicians, and the general public.
Download Full Results
About the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College
Founded in 2001, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College provides a nonpartisan forum for political discussion, scholarship, and civic engagement. The Institute fosters dialogue on a broad range of political issues, serving students, scholars, policymakers, and the public.