Sununu, Pappas Win New Hampshire Primaries, Advance to Senate Race

Republican John Sununu and Democrat Chris Pappas won their respective primaries on Tuesday, setting up a New Hampshire Senate contest for the general election on November 3.

Voters will choose a successor to retiring three-term Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Chris Pappas, who has represented the state's 1st Congressional District since 2019, secured the Democratic nomination. He was endorsed by Jeanne Shaheen and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and has made anti-corruption efforts a top issue. John Sununu, a former U.S. Senator, secured the Republican nomination.

He previously held the seat and has President Donald Trump's endorsement. Sununu's brother Chris Sununu was a governor until 2025. RealClearPolling average puts Pappas 2 points ahead of Sununu in the general election, while prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket price a Democratic victory at 83 percent. A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll conducted August 20 to 24 among 1,878 likely voters put Sununu at 45 percent and Pappas at 43 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.

Republicans have not won a New Hampshire Senate seat since 2010. In 2024, New Hampshire voters elected a Republican governor while backing then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race. Stefany Shaheen, daughter of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, won the Democratic primary for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District early Wednesday, defeating Maura Sullivan with 37.3% of the vote. Anthony DiLorenzo, President Trump’s pick, won the GOP primary for the open House seat.