Voters in New Hampshire went to the polls on Tuesday to determine the nominees for a highly consequential U.S. Senate race, featuring an open seat that Democrats must defend to maintain their hold on the Senate. The contest arose following the retirement of three-term Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, 79, creating a pivotal battleground ahead of the November election.
On the Democratic side, Congressman Chris Pappas secured the nomination, defeating progressive newcomer Dr. Karishma Manzur. Pappas, who has represented New Hampshire’s first congressional district since 2019, received approximately 63% of the vote compared to Manzur’s 35% as partial returns came in. Manzur, a medical scientist and activist affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, had gained traction in the weeks preceding the primary but was ultimately unable to overcome Pappas’s more established presence.
Pappas has positioned himself as a centrist with bipartisan appeal and considerable establishment support, earning endorsements from prominent figures including former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Senator Mark Kelly. His campaign finance filings indicated a significant fundraising advantage, with reported totals of $15.4 million raised leading up to the primaries, although as of mid-August, the candidates held closer cash reserves of roughly $4.3 million for Pappas and $3 million for his eventual Republican opponent. Pappas also benefits from local name recognition through his family’s ownership of the Puritan Backroom, a Manchester restaurant steeped in New Hampshire political history.
The Republican primary saw former Senator John E. Sununu capture the nomination convincingly, winning about 69% of the vote against former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, who garnered around 26%. Sununu, 61, who served a term in the Senate from 2003 to 2009 and comes from a prominent political family—including his brother, former Governor Chris Sununu, and father, former Governor and White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu—secured an early endorsement from former President Donald Trump. The endorsement marked a strategic reconciliation after Sununu had publicly criticized Trump during the 2024 Republican primary cycle, describing him as “a loser” and backing then-candidate Nikki Haley.
This Senate seat remains a critical target for both parties in the broader context of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reclaim the Senate majority, and they view retaining this seat as essential to that goal. Meanwhile, Republicans see it as an opportunity to challenge Democratic control and have not won a Senate race in New Hampshire since 2010.
Following the primary results, Pappas and Sununu are set to face each other in what is anticipated to be a highly competitive general election in one of the nation’s key swing states. Both candidates emphasize grassroots engagement and recognize the state’s purple political landscape, with Pappas highlighting the necessity of connecting with a broad voter base, including some who previously supported Trump. The campaign promises to be closely watched nationally due to New Hampshire’s historical status as the site of the nation’s first presidential primary and its potential to influence control of the Senate in the final years of President Trump’s second term.