Democrat Chris Pappas Wins New Hampshire Senate Seat, Becoming First Openly Gay Senator
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Four-term Representative Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire’s Senate race, securing the seat for Democrats and making history as the chamber’s first openly gay member.
Four-term Democratic congressman Chris Pappas won New Hampshire’s open U.S. Senate seat, defeating former senator John Sununu in a close contest. Pappas, a centrist who has occasionally broken with his party on major votes, ran on a platform that emphasized opposition to policies of the Trump administration, which remains unpopular in the state. He secured endorsements from several prominent Democrats and highlighted the administration’s low approval ratings, citing issues such as the war in Iran and proposed Medicaid cuts.
Sununu, who previously served in the Senate before losing his seat in 2008, presented himself as an independent-minded candidate and sought to distance himself from President Trump, despite receiving the president’s endorsement. In campaign messaging, Sununu criticized the war in Iran, said the administration had not done enough to support Ukraine, and claimed he had never met the president.
"We need a senator who will stand up for New Hampshire and push back against policies that hurt our families," Pappas said after the victory.
The win preserves Democratic control of the seat previously held by retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen and marks a historic first for LGBTQ representation in the U.S. Senate.