What Just Happened in New Hampshire's 2026 Primaries — and Why It Matters for the Whole Country

Republican John E. Sununu and Democrat Chris Pappas won their parties' nominations in New Hampshire's September 8, 2026 primary election. They will face each other in November for a seat in the U.S. Senate, which is one of the two chambers that make up Congress, the lawmaking branch of the federal government. The seat is open because the current senator, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, is stepping down (Al Jazeera).

Sununu beat seven other Republicans, including former Massachusetts state senator Scott Brown. He also received an endorsement (a public statement of support) from Donald Trump, even though Sununu had previously called Trump a "loser" during the 2024 presidential race. On the Democratic side, Pappas defeated Karishma Manzur, a progressive candidate who identifies as a democratic socialist. Manzur had criticized Pappas for his ties to AIPAC, a lobbying group that pushes for strong U.S. support for Israel. Pappas, who currently serves in the U.S. House of Representatives, has been trying to link Sununu to President Trump during the campaign.

Here is why this race matters so much. Republicans currently control the Senate, and Democrats need to win four more seats than they currently hold to take it back. At the same time, Republicans see this open seat as a chance to win a race in New England, a part of the country where they have had difficulty getting elected to federal office. New Hampshire is a swing state, meaning voters there sometimes choose Democrats and sometimes Republicans. Kamala Harris won the state by fewer than three percentage points in 2024, so the margin is thin.

Two themes stand out from these primaries. First, Trump's endorsement helped Republican candidates win, but Sununu's past criticism of Trump raises the question of whether Trump's supporters will be enthusiastic enough to show up for him in November. Second, the more left-leaning wing of the Democratic Party did not win its races. Manzur's campaign against Pappas did not succeed, and whether her supporters will back Pappas or stay home could make a difference in a close contest.

New Hampshire also held primaries for its two seats in the House of Representatives. In the 1st District, Stefany Shaheen, the daughter of Senator Jeanne Shaheen, won the Democratic nomination. She defeated Maura Sullivan, a retired Marine. Shaheen will run for the seat that Pappas is leaving. Her Republican opponent is Anthony DiLorenzo, who won his primary with Trump's endorsement.

In the 2nd District, the current Democratic representative, Maggie Goodlander, won her primary against Paige Beauchemin. Goodlander will face Republican Lily Tang Williams, who won on her third try for the nomination. Williams also ran as the Republican candidate in this district in 2024.

The governor's race is also set. Republican Kelly Ayotte won her primary and is running for a second term. Democrat Cinde Warmington had no opponent in her primary and will challenge Ayotte in November.

The broader context here is that what happened in New Hampshire matches what we are seeing across the country in 2026. The established leaders of both parties mostly won their races. Trump's endorsements mattered a lot on the Republican side. And more progressive challengers lost on the Democratic side. Because New Hampshire is a swing state with several open seats, it offers a close-up view of the national fight for control of Congress. With Democrats needing four seats to take back the Senate, this race between Sununu and Pappas will get a lot of national attention and money between now and 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).