New Hampshire Senate Primary Results: John Sununu Wins Republican Nomination

Trump-backed former senator John Sununu on Tuesday (local time) won the GOP primary and will face Democrat Chris Pappas in the November 3 general election for an open Senate seat for New Hampshire Senate Primary that could affect control of the chamber.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s decision to retire after serving three terms has left the Senate seat open. Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas entered the race for the Democrats, while former Republican Sen. John Sununu joined the contest for the GOP nomination. However, both face challengers within their respective parties. Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown is competing against Sununu for the Republican nomination, while Karishma Manzur, a democratic socialist, is seeking to unseat Pappas in the Democratic primary.

Sununu won 68 per cent votes, Brown won 26.9 per cent. Pappas, on the other hand, has secured 64.2 per cent of votes and Manzur has won 33.6 per cent of the votes.

Brown, meanwhile, was a familiar name to New Hampshire voters, having served as the state's senator before moving to Massachusetts, where he later served in the Senate.

Who Is John Sununu?

Sununu, 61, had served three terms in the House and one term in the Senate and had previously lost to Shaheen in 2008. He grew up in a politically-oriented family where father John H. Sununu and brother Chris Sununu were governors. He has, however, been out of elected office for 18 years.

Sununu had criticised Trump in 2024 and backed Nikki Haley, but Trump subsequently endorsed him. Sununu has also tried to distinguish himself from Trump on tariffs, executive power and the Iran war. He had previously called Trump a “loser” during the 2024 Republican primary.

Why Does The New Hampshire Senate Race Matter?

Jeanne Shaheen is retiring after three terms, leaving an open Senate seat. Pappas has represented New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District for four terms and is giving up his House seat to run for Senate.

Pappas had a major fundraising advantage over Sununu and Brown. The race is significant because New Hampshire is one of the seats Democrats need to hold as they seek to regain the Senate majority. The general election is November 3, giving the candidates only eight weeks after the unusually late New Hampshire primary. The November contest will therefore pit two experienced political figures against each other, with Pappas seeking to keep the seat in Democratic hands and Sununu attempting to return to the Senate.