Chris Pappas defeats John Sununu to keep New Hampshire Senate seat in Democratic hands
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Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas won the New Hampshire Senate race, preserving the seat for Democrats after Jeanne Shaheen’s retirement.
Democratic Representative Chris Pappas secured the New Hampshire Senate seat, defeating former Republican Senator John Sununu, according to CBS News projections. The result keeps the seat in Democratic hands after retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen stepped aside.
Pappas, 46, has served in the U.S. House since 2019 and is a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. He cast himself as an independent voice for New Hampshire, taking on Sununu, whose family name carries long-standing political weight in the state.
Sununu, 62, is the son of former Governor John H. Sununu and brother of former Governor Chris Sununu. He previously served in both the House and Senate before losing to Shaheen in 2008 and tried to claw his way back to the upper chamber.
Republicans treated Sununu’s candidacy as one of the few possible pickups this cycle, even though New Hampshire has not elected a Republican senator since 2010. The campaign leaned on Sununu’s efforts to distance himself from President Trump, including a late-stage advertisement saying, "when the president's policies are bad for New Hampshire, I'll oppose them."
"The way Chris Pappas tells it, I'm President Trump's long-lost son. I've never even met the man," the ad said.
Pappas’ projected victory protects a crucial Democratic seat as the party seeks additional gains that could shape control of the Senate.