Sununu Wins NH Senate Primary Faces Pappas

John E. Sununu secured the Republican nomination for the New Hampshire U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, setting up a general election contest against Democratic Representative Chris Pappas. The open seat, created by the retirement of longtime Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, is viewed by Republicans as a significant opportunity to flip control of the chamber in the upcoming November elections. Sununu, a former one-term senator who previously served from 2003 to 2009, defeated former Senator Scott Brown in the primary. According to reports citing the Associated Press, Sununu garnered 69.7% of the vote compared to Brown's 25.2%. This victory marks a crucial step in Sununu's bid to return to the Senate after being ousted nearly 18 years ago. President Donald Trump had endorsed Sununu in February 2026, a move that came despite Sununu's past criticisms of Trump, including an op-ed in which he called Trump a "loser" and supported another candidate in the 2024 presidential primary. Brown, a former senator from Massachusetts and ambassador, reportedly highlighted Sununu's past criticisms and suggested Sununu was hesitant to emphasize Trump's endorsement.