Pappas, Sununu win New Hampshire primaries; will compete for Senate seat, September 9, 2026

Rep. Chris Pappas won the Democratic primary and former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu won the Republican primary in New Hampshire on September 9, 2026, setting the stage for a closely watched Senate race in November. The two will compete for the seat vacated by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who chose not to seek reelection. Sununu, 61, is a former senator who served one term from 2003 to 2009. He defeated seven other Republicans in the primary, including former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, according to PBS NewsHour. Trump endorsed Sununu earlier in 2026, despite Sununu's 2024 op-ed calling Trump a "loser" and his support for Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary. Trump's approval rating in New Hampshire stands at 38%, according to The Guardian. Sununu has criticized Trump's tariff policy, urged Congress to rein in executive power, and questioned the decision to launch military action in Iran, telling New Hampshire Public Radio it was "a tactical mistake" to go to war "without having a plan for protecting the strait of Hormuz." Sununu's father and younger brother are both former governors. Scott Brown, whom Sununu defeated, accused Sununu of "coasting on his name" in the campaign. The Republican National Committee called Sununu a "strong candidate" who was "well positioned to beat out Pappas" in the general election. Pappas, a four-term incumbent, is giving up his seat in the 1st Congressional District. He defeated four other candidates in the Democratic primary, including Karishma Manzur, described as a democratic socialist. At his victory party, according to PBS NewsHour, Pappas said, "We've got to turn the page on Donald Trump's reckless leadership, on corruption, on the rigged economy and on costs, and this is not the time to turn it back to a failed politician from the past." Sununu's response, made at his own victory party, New Hampshire has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 2010, when Kelly Ayotte, now the governor, won a seat. Both candidates now have eight weeks before the November general election to make their case to voters. The race carries national significance: Democrats need a net gain of four seats to retake the Senate, and New Hampshire is among a handful of contests that could determine chamber control.