Republican Kelly Ayotte’s stance against hearings on a Supreme Court nominee until a new president takes office may hurt her 2016 re-election chances, according to a new state poll.
The WMUR Granite State Poll released Wednesday found a majority of New Hampshire voters believe the U.S. Senate should move forward with President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland.
Ayotte is one of several Republicans in the Senate who doesn’t want to hold hearings or a confirmation vote while Obama is in office.
Two in five likely voters said Ayotte’s position has made them less likely to vote for her, according to the poll, which was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.
Ayotte met with Garland last week “out of courtesy and respect,” she said. But she believes “that in the midst of a consequential election the voters should have a voice in this important nomination,” her campaign manager Jon Kohan said in a statement.
Ayotte faces a competitive re-election campaign against Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan. Hassan criticized Ayotte for an unwillingness to vote on Garland, and has tried to make the issue a central element of the race.
The WMUR Granite State Poll found the contest between Ayotte and Hassan is currently deadlocked.
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has called for Republican colleagues to hold hearings and a vote.