Former Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) and Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) easily won their respective primaries Tuesday, setting up a November face-off for the right to replace retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
In the Republican primary for his old seat, Sununu topped a crowded field of candidates that included former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who represented the commonwealth in DC for three years after winning the 2010 special election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), then moved to New Hampshire to unsuccessfully challenge Shaheen in 2014.
Sununu, the son of one Granite State governor and the brother of another, won the same Senate seat in 2002 — defeating then-Gov. Shaheen, who ousted Sununu in a rematch six years later.
President Trump endorsed Sununu in the primary back in February despite a past war of words between the commander in chief and the first family of New Hampshire GOP politics.
“Donald Trump is a loser,” read the headline of a New Hampshire Union Leader op-ed Sununu authored in January 2024, in which he urged Republicans to support former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the first-in-the-nation primary.
The op-ed echoed criticism Sununu’s father, former White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu, leveled at Trump in 2016, when he told ABC News that Trump had been “a loser all his life.”
Meanwhile, brother Chris, who also endorsed Haley in 2024, slammed Trump at the 2022 Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, DC, calling him “f—king crazy.”
“I don’t think he’s so crazy that you could put him in a mental institution. But I think if he were in one, he ain’t getting out,” the then-governor clarified.
Trump also endorsed Sununu despite Brown having served as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during the 45th president’s term.
“John is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected Leaders in New Hampshire, and many Republicans in the U.S. Senate and, as your next Senator, he will work tirelessly to advance our America First Agenda,” the president said in a Truth Social post backing Sununu. “John will fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Provide Access to Affordable and High Quality Health Care, Champion School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.
“John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.”
In the Democratic race, Pappas beat out four other candidates, including Democratic Socialists of America member Karishma Manzur.
The 46-year-old, who has served in the House since 2019, was endorsed by Shaheen, her fellow senator, Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Democrats must win a net of four seats in November to regain control of the Senate, and losing the seat held by Shaheen for the past 18 years would be a massive blow.
In the general election matchup, Pappas holds a two-percentage point edge over Sununu, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, with more than 10% of voters indicating they are undecided.
