The New Hampshire Senate race was shaken up on Wednesday when former Senator John Sununu jumped into the Republican primary.
Sununu was a senator for the Granite State from 2003 until 2009 and served in the House of Representatives prior to that. He is the brother of former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. In 2008, he was defeated by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, who is now retiring, leaving the seat open and highly competitive.
“It’s been awhile since you elected me to serve New Hampshire, and boy have things changed. Washington’s never been perfect. It’s not meant to be,” the former senator said in his launch video.
“But when I was there, people with different opinions could get together, work things out, and come to solutions that made a real difference. But now Congress just seems loud, dysfunctional, even angry,” he said, saying that somebody needs to help “lower the temperature” and “get things done.”
Sununu got the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, currently led by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
“John Sununu’s deep roots and passion for the Granite State make him built to win. New Hampshire is ready for a proven leader who stands up for seniors, fights for economic and educational opportunity, and delivers real solutions to make life more affordable and prosperous,” Scott said on Wednesday morning.
“Granite Staters are fed up with Democrats like Chris Pappas, who is beholden to Nancy Pelosi and the most radical elements of his party instead of New Hampshire families. The [NRSC] is all-in for [Sununu]!” he added.
Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who was the former Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, is also vying for the open seat.
“Anyone who thinks that a Never Trump, corporate lobbyist who hasn’t won an election in a quarter century will resonate with today’s GOP primary voters is living in a different universe. While John was supporting John Kasich in 2016, I was campaigning with Donald Trump,” Brown told The Daily Wire in a statement regarding Sununu’s entrance.
“While John was fighting for special interests, I was serving in the first Trump administration. While John was wooing the DC establishment this summer, I have been working with grassroots activists across the Granite State. Senate seats are earned, not handed down. I stopped one political dynasty before, and intend to do the same in 2026,” the Republican continued.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Chris Pappas is considered the frontrunner in the race, currently ranked by the Cook Political Report as “Leans Democrat.”
“This race just became one of the most competitive in the country, and I’m up against deep-pocketed special interests,” the Democrat posted to X on Wednesday morning.
The Daily Wire reached out to Pappas’ campaign for comment.
.png)
.png)
