Democrat Chris Pappas wins New Hampshire’s Senate race

Nov. 4, 2026, 1:20 AM UTCThe Democratic congressman defeated Republican former Sen. John Sununu, NBC News projects, keeping retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s seat blue.Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via GettyDemocratic Rep. Chris Pappas has won New Hampshire’s Senate race, NBC News projects, defeating Republican John Sununu’s bid to return to the chamber after two decades.Pappas will become the first out gay man to be elected to the Senate. The result also means the seat will stay in Democratic hands, with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen retiring at the end of this term after holding it for 18 years. She was first elected in 2008, defeating Sununu as the Republican competed for a second term.Democrats were favored to win the seat, although the party at times raised alarms about whether it was taking New Hampshire’s swing-state status seriously enough. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried New Hampshire by just 3 percentage points in the 2024 presidential race.Pappas, a House member since January 2019, won the Democratic Senate nomination in September, handily defeating left-wing challenger Karishma Manzur.Former Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H.Sophie Park / GettySununu had hoped his name recognition — as a former senator as well as the brother of a popular New Hampshire governor and the son of another one — would help propel him to victory.But President Donald Trump’s unpopularity proved to be an anchor on Sununu’s hopes, even as the candidate distanced himself from Trump’s war with Iran and his tariffs.