New Hampshire Primaries Set Stage for Pivotal Senate Race as Sununu and Pappas Win Nominations
Republican John E. Sununu and Democrat Chris Pappas secured their parties' nominations in New Hampshire's September 8, 2026 state primary, setting up a November general election contest for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Al Jazeera).
Sununu defeated seven opponents in the Republican primary, including former Massachusetts state senator Scott Brown. He also received an endorsement from Donald Trump, despite having described Trump as a "loser" during the 2024 presidential race. On the Democratic side, Pappas defeated progressive challenger Karishma Manzur, a democratic socialist who finished as the second frontrunner. Manzur had criticized Pappas for his relationship with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Pappas, currently the representative for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, has sought to tie Sununu to President Trump during the campaign.
The stakes are considerable. Republicans currently control the U.S. Senate, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to retake the chamber. Republicans, for their part, view the New Hampshire Senate race as an opportunity to gain a foothold in New England, a region where the party has struggled to win federal offices. The open seat created by Shaheen's departure gives the GOP a rare pickup prospect in a state that Kamala Harris carried by just 2.78 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Looking at what this means for Senate control, the Sununu-Pappas matchup sits at the intersection of two dynamics that will shape the November landscape. First, the power of Trump's endorsement in Republican primaries was again evident: both Sununu in the Senate race and Anthony DiLorenzo in the 1st Congressional District Republican primary received Trump's backing and won. Yet Sununu's own history of calling Trump a "loser" underscores the transactional nature of these endorsements and raises questions about whether Trump-aligned voters will mobilize with equal enthusiasm in the general election. Second, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party fell short in the Senate primary, where Manzur's AIPAC-focused critique of Pappas did not carry the day. Whether her supporters consolidate behind Pappas or defect could matter in a race likely to be decided by narrow margins.
In New Hampshire's two congressional districts, the primaries produced nominees with distinct profiles. In the 1st District, Stefany Shaheen, daughter of Senator Jeanne Shaheen, won the Democratic primary, defeating retired Marine Maura Sullivan in a tight race. Shaheen will compete for the seat left open by Pappas. She faces Republican Anthony DiLorenzo, who defeated three other candidates after receiving an endorsement from Donald Trump.
In the 2nd District, Democratic incumbent Representative Maggie Goodlander won her primary, defeating progressive challenger Paige Beauchemin. Goodlander will face Republican Lily Tang Williams, who won the GOP primary on her third attempt for the seat. Williams was the Republican nominee in the 2nd District in the 2024 elections as well.
The gubernatorial race also took shape. Republican Kelly Ayotte won her primary, defeating two little-known challengers, and is seeking a second two-year term. Democrat Cinde Warmington ran unopposed for her party's nomination and will face Ayotte in November.
The broader context here is that New Hampshire's results fit a pattern visible across competitive 2026 primaries: party establishments largely prevailed, Trump endorsements carried significant weight on the Republican side, and progressive challengers fell short in Democratic contests. The state's swing-state status, narrow 2024 presidential margin, and concentration of open-seat races make it a microcosm of the national battle for control of Congress. With the Senate balanced on a four-seat Democratic pickup requirement, races like Sununu versus Pappas will receive disproportionate national attention and resources through November.
New Hampshire's primaries were held September 8, 2026, with polls closing at 8 p.m. (WMUR). Official results are maintained by the New Hampshire Secretary of State (sos.nh.gov).
