\"\" — John Sununu, Republican for US Senate from New Hampshire – photo from his campaign website

Former Senator John Sununu was projected to win his Republican primary election for US Senate on Tuesday night.

The race was called just one hour after the polls closed on election day.

Decision Desk HQ projects John Sununu wins the NH US Senate Republican Primary#DecisionMade: 8:00 PM EDTpic.twitter.com/ONwfVNbpLM
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ)September 9, 2026

Trump gave Sununu his Complete and Total Endorsement in February, despite his past criticisms and the feud between Trump and the Sununu family.

In a statement, Trump said Sununu will “work tirelessly” to push forward the President’s agenda.

Full statement below:

It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, John E. Sununu, who is running to represent the beautiful State of New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate.
John is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected Leaders in New Hampshire, and many Republicans in the U.S. Senate and, as your next Senator, he will work tirelessly to advance our America First Agenda. John will fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Provide Access to Affordable and High Quality Health Care, Champion School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.
John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN — ELECT JOHN E. SUNUNU!

PerFox:

Sununu, the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and older brother to former Gov. Chris Sununu, is a former congressman and senator who is aiming to return to the Senate.
PresidentDonald Trumpin February endorsed Sununu, a longtime GOP Trump critic, over Brown, one of Trump’s first-term ambassadors. Sununu was also backed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Brown charged in a Fox News Digital interview that Sununu’s “got 70 endorsements on his website, but he doesn’t have the president’s. He never talks about it. He’s embarrassed by it.”
“I’ve had the MAGA base and a lot of those so-called traditional Republicans for almost over a year,” Brown highlighted. “Johnny came lately, and he’s here, and now he thinks everyone’s going to just vote for him. That’s not how it works. You got to go earn it.”

The postJUST IN: John Sununu Wins NH GOP Senate Primaryappeared first onThe Gateway Pundit.

",{"_281":239,"_282":319,"_283":320},"2409aded-5007-4672-981b-6eebd83482d0",{"_27":319,"_40":321,"_286":322,"_42":323,"_251":324,"_289":-5,"_29":290,"_291":325,"_293":326,"_244":327,"_80":-5,"_82":121,"_238":328,"_281":239,"_316":341},"New Hampshire Senate race set between John Sununu and Chris Pappas","Republican John E. Sununu secured victory in the New Hampshire GOP Senate primary, positioning him for a general election contest against Democratic nominee Rep. Chris Pappas. This race is considered a key battleground that could influence control of the Senate. While Republicans are optimistic due to polling and Sununu's name recognition, nonpartisan forecasters lean towards Democrats holding the seat.","Republican John E. Sununu was declared the winner of Tuesday’s New Hampshire GOP Senate primary, teeing up a battleground general election with Democratic nominee Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH).","https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/image-collage-s6cz6c02y-1788880903536-e1788881392893.jpg?1788866652&resize=1200,683","2026-09-09T00:13:43","https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4716689/new-hampshire-senate-race-john-sununu-chris-pappas/","politics",{"_27":329,"_297":330,"_137":299,"_80":331,"_311":338,"_312":339,"_314":340},"ef5b753c803c4d08b763079fbcbc5fcf4a82a927e7581426b2b6bd25dd6e9bfb","f67e5338f5883d2d5364c14c86adaa128dddbc4b6d87d3de76419104fded29f9c2c1548f94cdfccd340282dd34da2cbf56a172ea9f42c8ea5c2d56c5d5a139f4",[332,333,334,336,337],[244,321],[44,324],[304,335,39,306],"30023:273e8bb9fd7425c0374f8baaf3104fc54a564adcca09161692dd60c903b72e26:2409aded-5007-4672-981b-6eebd83482d0",[308,39],[140,338,39],"273e8bb9fd7425c0374f8baaf3104fc54a564adcca09161692dd60c903b72e26","New Hampshire Senate race set between John Sununu and Chris Pappas\nRepublican John E. Sununu was declared the winner of Tuesday’s New Hampshire GOP Senate primary, teeing up a battleground general election with Democratic nominee Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH).\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqfe73wul6ap9cqm5lza27vgyl3222e9dejsfzctf9htqeypmwt3xqqjrydps89skgety956nqvph956rvdej95unsvtz95mx2etzvsurxdpcxfjrqxx4r6d ",1788936162,"Republican John E. Sununu was declared the winner of Tuesday’s New Hampshire GOP Senate primary, teeing up a battleground general election with Democratic nominee Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH).\nThe race was called for Sununu, a former New Hampshire senator and the brother of former New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, at 8 p.m. by the Associated Press. He garnered 69.6% against former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown‘s 25.2%, with 15% of the vote counted.\nSununu was the establishment-backed favorite who earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump despite having a more centrist streak and his brother, the former governor, once being vehemently opposed to the president. Brown, a former Massachusetts senator and ambassador in Trump’s first term, sought to court more of the grassroots conservative support.\nFormer Sen. John E. Sununu, who is running for his old seat nearly 18 years after being ousted, mingles with voters at the Coos County Republican Committee BBQ on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Berlin, New Hampshire. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer)\nThe open seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and is among the 10 most competitive races that could flip, an outcome that would likely dash Democrats’ hopes to retake Senate control. Republicans have a 53-47 majority, requiring Democrats to achieve a net gain of at least four seats in November.\nRepublicans are increasingly bullish about their odds thanks to neck-and-neck polling and Sununu’s statewide name recognition. The Granite State also has a track record of electing Republican governors even as it goes blue in presidential races, and it has a gubernatorial race at the top of the ticket this year.\nStill, nonpartisan election forecasters give Democrats the edge, projecting it as a “lean” Democratic seat. Establishment-backed Pappas won his primary against socialist Karishma Manzur, preventing an upset victory that would have been the latest example this cycle of a more progressive outsider ousting an incumbent they deemed insufficiently liberal.",{"_281":239,"_282":343,"_283":344},"619bc85c-2a89-43e8-a31e-84bdcdf84371",{"_27":343,"_40":345,"_286":346,"_42":347,"_251":348,"_289":348,"_29":290,"_291":349,"_293":350,"_244":39,"_80":-5,"_82":121,"_238":351,"_281":239,"_316":364},"Ex-GOP senator clears hurdle in crucial comeback bid as Republicans try to flip key Senate seat","John E. Sununu won the GOP Senate nomination in New Hampshire, positioning himself to challenge Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas for a seat Republicans hope to flip. Sununu, aiming to return to the Senate after a previous stint, secured the nomination over former Sen. Scott Brown, who questioned Sununu's alignment with President Trump. Sununu emphasized his focus on New Hampshire's issues, including affordability and the economy.","John E. Sununu defeated Scott Brown for the GOP Senate nomination in New Hampshire, a key race that could determine Republican majority control.","https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/931/523/john-e-sununu-rye-n.h.-sept-15-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1","2026-09-09T00:08:03","https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-gop-senator-clears-hurdle-crucial-comeback-bid-republicans-try-flip-key-senate-seat",{"_27":352,"_297":353,"_137":299,"_80":354,"_311":361,"_312":362,"_314":363},"92b6a88a3630b2402aa154f3dbb18add9f508060b7e1d9600251af77b58003c4","a7d2a1aab4906483df77bf1f478838175dc5140211700fa493a7a9194fa39a83d969c6c6e6a142c2511ef290b29c7089248fb546c2dd69d7e2de5343939380c2",[355,356,357,359,360],[244,345],[44,348],[304,358,39,306],"30023:d9ce26dad2db27b53683a9e9b339de47f4fb926ca550b089e5192b46334fbaaf:619bc85c-2a89-43e8-a31e-84bdcdf84371",[308,39],[140,361,39],"d9ce26dad2db27b53683a9e9b339de47f4fb926ca550b089e5192b46334fbaaf","Ex-GOP senator clears hurdle in crucial comeback bid as Republicans try to flip key Senate seat\nJohn E. Sununu defeated Scott Brown for the GOP Senate nomination in New Hampshire, a key race that could determine Republican majority control.\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpkwwymdd9ke8k5mg820fkvuau3l5lwfxef2skzy72xftgce5lw40qqjrvvfevf3nsdtr95exzwpe956rxefc94snxvt995urgcnyvdjxvwp5xvmnzdc3ju2 ",1788912483,"

Former Sen. John E. Sununu on Tuesday won the GOP Senate nomination in swing state New Hampshire, in a race that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber in themidterm elections.

Sununu defeated former Sen. Scott Brown, the Associated Press reports, in the showdown to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman in the nation's history elected governor and senator.

Republicans haven't won a Senate election inNew Hampshirein 16 years, but they view the open Democrat-held seat as a top flip opportunity in the fight to hold their slim majority in the midterms.

Sununu will now face off in the general election against four-term Rep. Chris Pappas, who topped socialist candidate and scientist Karishma Manzur, for the Democratic nomination.

THESE 12 MIDTERM RACES WILL DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE SENATE

\"When it comes to standing up for New Hampshire, I take a back seat to no one. I'm not worried about reelection. I don't -- I'm not running for any other job. I don't want to make anyone in Washington happy. I know that as your senator, I'll have one job: stand up for the people of New Hampshire every single day,\" Sununu told supporters at his victory celebration at the McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester, N.H.

Sununu, the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and older brother to former Gov. Chris Sununu, is a former congressman and senator who is aiming to return to the Senate.

PresidentDonald Trumpin February endorsed Sununu, a longtime GOP Trump critic, over Brown, one of Trump's first-term ambassadors. Sununu was also backed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Brown charged in a Fox News Digital interview that Sununu's \"got 70 endorsements on his website, but he doesn't have the president’s. He never talks about it. He's embarrassed by it.\"

\"I've had the MAGA base and a lot of those so-called traditional Republicans for almost over a year,\" Brown highlighted. \"Johnny came lately, and he's here, and now he thinks everyone's going to just vote for him. That's not how it works. You got to go earn it.\"

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Brown claimed that Sununu is \"beholden\" to Trump, Thune, the Senate leadership, and outside groups.

\"He owes them everything. He doesn't work for the people of New Hampshire,\" Brown charged.

But Sununu told Fox News Digital, \"I'll have one job stand up for the people of New Hampshire every single day... I don't need to make anyone in Washington happy. It's all about our state, our communities, our economy, and our small businesses.\"

Asked by about Trump's endorsement, Sununu didn't mention the president's name but highlighted his local endorsements, saying \"we've received tremendous support in New Hampshire... we've got great momentum at the grassroots level.\"

Trump last week said he'd be heading out on the campaign trail to help fellow Republicans running in the midterms.

Asked if he'd like Trump to join him on the Granite State campaign trail, Sununu answered, \"I don't need anyone from outside New Hampshire to campaign for me. I've said that from the very beginning.\"

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The former senator also disagreed with the Trump administration's trade war with neighboring Canada, saying \"I don't think it's the right thing to pick a trade war with Canada. They're a great trading partner for New Hampshire.\"

Republicans are facing a rough political climate heading into the midterms, due persistent inflation, high gas prices fueled by what polls indicate is an unpopular war with Iran, and Trump's underwater approval ratings.

But Sununu, who defeated Shaheen in 2002 to win election to the Senate but lost a rematch to her six years later, said he's \"focused on the right things, affordability, bringing down the cost of living on housing, health care, and energy, a reform agenda.\"

",{"_281":239,"_282":366,"_283":367},"b3ad7523-952f-4f9e-a5de-a17f7257db7b",{"_27":366,"_40":368,"_286":369,"_42":370,"_251":371,"_289":-5,"_29":290,"_291":372,"_293":373,"_244":327,"_80":-5,"_82":120,"_238":374,"_281":239,"_316":387},"New Hampshire Senate race set between Chris Pappas and John Sununu after projected primary wins","Democrat Chris Pappas and Republican John Sununu have won their respective primaries for the open U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire, setting up a competitive general election. Sununu, from a prominent political family, defeated former Senator Scott Brown, while Pappas, a current House representative, beat scientist Karishma Manzur. The race is considered crucial for both parties as Democrats aim to gain control of the Senate.","Updated on: September 8, 2026 / 10:54 PM EDT / CBS News","https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/08/4b198f95-9bbd-4a19-a8f2-978ff0b8f550/thumbnail/1200x630/c2a5fc4f1e10daa89631be1af606d86c/pappas-sununu-new-hampshire.jpg","2026-09-09T00:05:00","https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-hampshire-senate-primary-results-chris-pappas-john-sununu/",{"_27":375,"_297":376,"_137":299,"_80":377,"_311":384,"_312":385,"_314":386},"25b4461d53d0f37728133edc71013ada419babcea9079fdd9d30f5d0c2f53f59","b581be20e769e158c1e667b7bff6eb5c579b62b162cfbb9a777c6a573e24c636e3312c5a72b3949db2b2988c62d21ef16146ea1d4e56e091cc3b6798f6921731",[378,379,380,382,383],[244,368],[44,371],[304,381,39,306],"30023:6759f7a309cd07f7abfe0c57ab4e0ff30ffcd68d9c744d403f22e2428df23738:b3ad7523-952f-4f9e-a5de-a17f7257db7b",[308,39],[140,384,39],"6759f7a309cd07f7abfe0c57ab4e0ff30ffcd68d9c744d403f22e2428df23738","New Hampshire Senate race set between Chris Pappas and John Sununu after projected primary wins\nUpdated on: September 8, 2026 / 10:54 PM EDT / CBS News\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqe6e773snng8774lurzh4d8qluc0lntgm8r5f4qr7ghzg2xlydecqqjxyvmpvsmn2v3n95un2vnx956xvwt994sn2er994snzdmxxuer2dmyvgmky4vjcpf ",1788936033,"Former GOP Sen. John Sununu and Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas will face off in November after winning their primaries for U.S. Senate on Tuesday night, CBS News projects.\n\nDemocratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's decision not to seek reelection kickstarted the competitive race for an open seat in the Granite State, which could be key to determining which party controls the Senate. As her successor, Shaheen endorsed Pappas, who is one of the state's two representatives in the House. But Pappas faces a formidable opponent in a Republican with widespread name recognition in the state, hailing from a political family that's spent decades in its leadership.\n\nSununu, 61, represented New Hampshire in the House and Senate for more than a decade, before he was ousted by Shaheen. The son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and brother of former Gov. Chris Sununu, his name carries significant weight in New Hampshire. In the GOP primary on Tuesday, he defeated former Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the Senate from 2010 to 2013.\n\nPappas, 46, has represented New Hampshire in the House since 2019, where he's a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. On the campaign trail, he's billed himself as an independent voice for New Hampshire. And he defeated a progressive candidate, medical scientist Karishma Manzur on Tuesday, despite a number of victories by insurgent Democrats elsewhere in the country this cycle.\n\nWith 53 Republicans in the Senate, Democrats would need to flip four seats to gain control of the upper chamber, while defending a handful of seats, like in New Hampshire.\n\nAlthough Republicans have controlled New Hampshire's governor's mansion since 2017, the state hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since 2010, and a Republican hasn't won in the state at the presidential level since 2000. But Pappas has acknowledged that the race is \"highly competitive,\" telling CNN last month that \"it will continue to be tight until the very end.\"\n\nDespite Democrats' recent successes in Senate and presidential contests, New Hampshire is far from deep-blue territory, with elections often decided by narrow margins. President Trump lost by 2.8 points in 2024 and 0.4 points in 2016, and Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan defeated Republican Kelly Ayotte — now the governor — by roughly 1,000 votes a decade ago.\n\nPappas has sought to tie Sununu to Mr. Trump, who endorsed the GOP Senate candidate. In a victory speech Tuesday, Pappas cast his general election opponent as the president's \"handpicked candidate.\"\n\n\"While New Hampshire families are struggling to make ends meet, John Sununu has thrown his lot in with Donald Trump,\" Pappas told supporters.\n\nSununu has strongly criticized Mr. Trump in the past, and has broken with the president since earning his endorsement, pushing back on the Trump administration's trade war with Canada. He has sought to keep the race's focus on economic and cost-of-living issues, and portrayed Pappas as a \"career politician\" on Tuesday.\n\n\"He's not an independent voice for New Hampshire,\" he said in a victory speech. \"Chris Pappas has three main qualities: ineffective, partisan, and out of touch with New Hampshire.\"",{"_281":239,"_282":389,"_283":390},"e65b49c2-8858-4908-b4c1-95615ade198a",{"_27":389,"_40":391,"_286":392,"_42":393,"_251":394,"_289":-5,"_29":290,"_291":395,"_293":396,"_244":327,"_80":-5,"_82":120,"_238":397,"_281":239,"_316":410},"Trump-backed John Sununu wins New Hampshire Republican Senate primary","Former senator John Sununu won the New Hampshire Republican Senate primary, securing the GOP nomination. He previously served one term in the Senate and is now set to challenge Congressman Chris Pappas in the general election. Sununu has attempted to differentiate himself from Donald Trump, even after receiving Trump's endorsement, by criticizing certain policies and decisions.","Frontrunner Sununu beats Scott Brown to earn Republican nod in closely watched race in November","https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e537a05f8bebbb78c1b1d2205678060cf8437312/712_0_3560_2848/master/3560.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&precrop=40:21,offset-x50,offset-y0&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=db6b2796a2669b1e377e9a57401878e6","2026-09-09T00:08:22","https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/08/new-hampshire-republican-senate-primary",{"_27":398,"_297":399,"_137":299,"_80":400,"_311":407,"_312":408,"_314":409},"4066d05f79bbe08ad2d2e247b6722825b1db43584ca629a569fbaf91af8e4c5c","0367eee441a10a0510e88f6b6b1ccc41308e67d713081e1c159de6edfc16cdd1ffb0fdafb5c9a45b6fd69b9e6562aa04f4562ab285c41047acefb77cbe500317",[401,402,403,405,406],[244,391],[44,394],[304,404,39,306],"30023:c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da:e65b49c2-8858-4908-b4c1-95615ade198a",[308,39],[140,407,39],"c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da","Trump-backed John Sununu wins New Hampshire Republican Senate primary\nFrontrunner Sununu beats Scott Brown to earn Republican nod in closely watched race in November\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3cvxjt27s74qhy9ctz5k3ujgqd3vg96pdme8nywdq6g6le2yzw6qqjx2d34vg6rjcej95ursdfc956rjvpc943rgce395un2d33x4skgef38yuxz6np8hy ",1788936039,"Former senator John E Sununu triumphed on Tuesday in the New Hampshire Republican Senate primary Scott Brown, earning the GOP nod in what will likely be a must-win race if Democrats hope to seize the upper chamber.\nSununu, 61, was the clear frontrunner in the GOP primary. He served one term in the Senate from 2003 to 2009.\nBrown represented Massachusetts, later moved to New Hampshire, and served as US ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during Donald Trump’s first term.\nThe US president threw his support behind Sununu earlier this year, despite the former lawmaker’s past criticism of Trump, including a 2024 op‑ed in which Sununu called Trump a “loser” and backed Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary.\nOn the trail, Sununu has tried to show daylight between himself and the administration, criticizing Trump’s tariff policy, urging Congress to rein in executive power, and questioning the decision to launch military action in Iran.\nHe told New Hampshire Public Radio it was “a tactical mistake” to go to war “without having a plan for protecting the strait of Hormuz”. That posture may matter in a state where Trump’s approval rating sits at 38%.\nSununu and Brown did not respond to the Guardian’s interview requests.\nKristen Cianci, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said Sununu was a “strong candidate” who was “well positioned to beat out Pappas” in a general election. “While Democrats have been consumed by infighting, Republicans have been laser-focused on real issues like affordability and security,” she added in a statement.\nSununu will face congressman Chris Pappas, who beat back a progressive challenger in the Democratic primary, advancing as most observers expected to what will be a closely watched general election that is critical to Democratic hopes of flipping the upper chamber.\nSome Democrats, however, worry New Hampshire could become a sleeper risk – a state where Republicans control the legislature but haven’t won a Senate race since 2010, when Kelly Ayotte, now the governor, captured a seat.",[],"selectedArticleImage","rootArticleImageUrl","consensusHtml","tweets",[],"userSchema","perspectivesColumns","intro","relatedArticles",[284,320,390,344,367],"actionData","errors"]

John Sununu and Chris Pappas Win New Hampshire Senate Primaries

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