Former Senator Wins GOP Nomination

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu has won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, officially setting up a high-profile November showdown with Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Sununu defeated former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown and six other Republican candidates in Tuesday’s GOP primary. Pappas, meanwhile, secured the Democratic nomination after overcoming four challengers.

The two candidates will now compete in the Nov. 3 general election for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

The contest gives Sununu an opportunity to return to the U.S. Senate nearly two decades after losing the very seat he is now campaigning to reclaim.

It also puts New Hampshire at the center of the national battle for control of the Senate, where Republicans are defending their majority and Democrats are attempting to gain the seats necessary to take control of the chamber.

Sununu Makes Political Comeback

Sununu is hardly a newcomer to New Hampshire politics.

Before serving in the Senate, the Republican represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House for three terms. He then won election to the Senate in 2002 and served from 2003 until 2009.

His time in the Senate ended after Shaheen defeated him in the 2008 election.

Now, nearly 18 years after his last appearance on a general-election ballot, Sununu has another opportunity to represent New Hampshire in Washington.

The Republican enters the general election with extensive experience in Congress and one of the most recognizable family names in New Hampshire politics.

Sununu Family Has Deep New Hampshire Roots

John Sununu comes from a family that has played a prominent role in Republican politics for decades.

His father, John H. Sununu, served as governor of New Hampshire before becoming White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush.

His younger brother, Chris Sununu, later followed the family’s political tradition and served four terms as governor of New Hampshire before leaving office in 2025.

John Sununu, however, is campaigning on his own record in Congress as he attempts to make a return to the Senate.

Trump Endorsed Sununu

President Donald Trump backed Sununu during the Republican primary despite previous political disagreements between Trump and members of the Sununu family.

The endorsement added another dimension to a GOP primary featuring two former senators.

Sununu had previously criticized Trump, including during the 2024 presidential campaign. Trump nevertheless endorsed Sununu in the 2026 race as Republicans looked for a candidate capable of competing for the open New Hampshire seat.

Brown also entered the primary with ties to Trump.

After representing Massachusetts in the Senate, Brown later served as Trump’s ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during Trump’s first administration.

Republican voters ultimately chose Sununu to advance to the November election.

Chris Pappas Wins Democratic Nomination

On the other side of the ballot, Pappas won the Democratic Senate nomination after defeating four opponents, including progressive challenger Karishma Manzur.

Pappas has represented New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District since 2019 and is currently serving his fourth term in the House.

He entered the Senate race following Shaheen’s announcement that she would retire rather than seek another term.

Pappas received support from several prominent Democratic figures during the campaign, including Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

His decision to seek the Senate seat also means his current House district will have a new representative after the 2026 election.

Republicans See Opportunity in New Hampshire

Shaheen’s retirement created an open seat in a state where Republicans and Democrats have both demonstrated an ability to win statewide elections.

Republicans have not won a New Hampshire U.S. Senate election since 2010, when Kelly Ayotte defeated Democrat Paul Hodes.

Ayotte later returned to statewide elected office and currently serves as New Hampshire’s Republican governor.

At the same time, Democrats currently hold both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats and both U.S. House seats.

That creates an unusual political landscape in which Democrats have maintained considerable strength in federal elections while Republicans have enjoyed substantial success in state government.

Republicans control the governor’s office and both chambers of the New Hampshire Legislature.

New Hampshire Remains Politically Competitive

Recent presidential results provide another indication of New Hampshire’s competitive political environment.

Kamala Harris carried the state in the 2024 presidential election, defeating Trump by roughly three percentage points.

New Hampshire also has a large number of voters who are not registered with either major political party, making those voters an important constituency in statewide elections.

That means both Sununu and Pappas will have to appeal beyond their respective party bases as the campaign shifts from the primary to the general election.

Senate Majority Raises the Stakes

The New Hampshire race carries implications beyond the state’s borders because control of the U.S. Senate is at stake in the 2026 midterm elections.

Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to regain control of the chamber. Holding the seat currently occupied by Shaheen is therefore an important part of their broader strategy.

Republicans, meanwhile, have an opportunity to convert a Democratic-held open seat and strengthen their position in the Senate.

Several other competitive Senate contests around the country are expected to receive substantial attention and campaign spending as both parties fight for control of Washington.

Familiar Candidates, Very Different Choice

New Hampshire voters will ultimately choose between two candidates with substantial experience in Congress.

Sununu has previously served in both the House and Senate and is attempting a political comeback after nearly two decades away from elected office.

Pappas is a sitting four-term congressman seeking to move from the House to the Senate.

The matchup also brings an unusual historical element to the campaign.

Sununu lost his Senate seat to Shaheen in 2008. With Shaheen now retiring, Sununu has earned the Republican nomination to compete for that same seat again.

For Republicans, the election represents an opportunity to capture a Senate seat the party has not won since Ayotte’s victory in 2010.

For Democrats, the objective is to keep Shaheen’s seat in the party’s hands as they seek to regain control of the Senate.

With the primaries now decided, New Hampshire voters will have roughly eight weeks to consider the choice between Sununu and Pappas before Election Day on Nov. 3.