Former Republican Sen. John Sununu and Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas are headed to November in New Hampshire’s open U.S. Senate race.
CBS News and NBC News projected both men as the winners of their primaries Tuesday. The winner in November will replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
The stakes extend beyond New Hampshire. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats, while Democrats need a net gain of four to take control of the chamber.
Pappas’s primary win gave Democrats their preferred nominee, but concerns remain among some Democratic donors and strategists about whether the race is getting enough national attention and resources.
Politico reports New Hampshire Democratic strategist Jim Demers, who supports Pappas but does not work for his campaign, has privately urged several potential 2028 presidential candidates to campaign in the state to help attract more money, volunteers and attention to the race.
Sununu previously served in both the House and Senate, losing his Senate seat to Shaheen in 2008. His father, John H. Sununu, and brother, Chris Sununu, both served as New Hampshire governor.
Pappas was first elected to Congress in 2018 and serves in the House’s bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.
New Hampshire voters also set their governor’s race. Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte will face Democrat Cinde Warmington as Ayotte seeks another two-year term.
And the Shaheen name will remain on the ballot elsewhere in New Hampshire. Stefany Shaheen, the senator’s eldest daughter, won the Democratic primary for Pappa’s 1st Congressional District seat and will now compete to replace him in the House.
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