New Hampshire Democrats Urge National Party to Prioritize Retaining Senate Seat Amid Tight Race

Democratic Representative Chris Pappas, who is seeking the Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, told party officials that his campaign is falling behind likely Republican nominee John Sununu and that additional outside assistance is needed.

Pappas, who leads in internal polls against a primary challenge from progressive Karishma Manzur and has received an endorsement from Kamala Harris, said the race is critical for Democrats' broader Senate strategy.

Sununu, a former senator and member of a prominent state Republican family, is expected to win Tuesday's primary and has secured $17 million from a major Republican Senate super-PAC. Democrats have allocated considerably less television advertising money to New Hampshire than to other battlegrounds such as Ohio and Iowa, raising concerns that Pappas could be outspent despite raising more funds locally.

Political analysts note that while New Hampshire often votes Democratic in federal elections, recent polling shows Sununu leading by a narrow margin, underscoring the state's status as a competitive, or “purple,” market.