Former Republican New Hampshire Sen. John E. Sununu will make another run for his old seat which he held from 2003 to 2009, and the GOP hopes to flip in the midterms.
Sununu, 61, declared his candidacy for New Hampshire’s 2026 Senate race on Wednesday morning to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who had defeated him in 2008. The former senator said he wants to return to Washington to “lower the temperature” and “get things done” in a campaign announcement video mentioning the economy, the county’s piling debt and healthcare costs as three of his top priorities.
To advance to the general election, Sununu must first defeat another ex-senator — who, like him, previously lost to Shaheen — also mounting a comeback bid.
Former Republican Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, 66, announced his campaign for the open Senate seat in June. However, Senate GOP leadership has stopped short of endorsing Brown, who made a failed run against Shaheen in 2014 after relocating New Hampshire.
A recent memo linked to Senate Republicans highlighted five recent surveys showing Brown performed poorly in polling against Democratic New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas — the Democratic frontrunner —while Sununu is neck-and-neck with him, NOTUS first reported.
Sununu’s entrance into the race is a significant recruiting victory for Senate GOP leadership, who view Sununu as the strongest candidate to defeat Pappas.
Though New Hampshire was not initially seen as a prime pickup opportunity for Republicans, Sununu’s candidacy is likely to frustrate national Democrats, who could be forced to devote significant resources to hold the seat.
“John E. Sununu is a respected leader and a trusted voice for New Hampshire whose candidacy instantly expands the Senate map and puts the Granite State in play for Republicans,” Senate Leadership Fund executive director Alex Latcham said in a statement on Thursday. “We’re excited to welcome John E. Sununu to the race and to flip New Hampshire to Republican control next November.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, endorsed Sununu’s Senate run on Wednesday.
“John Sununu’s deep roots and passion for the Granite State make him built to win,” NRSC chair Tim Scott of South Carolina wrote in a post on X.
Sununu comes from a storied political dynasty in the Granite State. He is the son of former Republican Gov. John H. Sununu and the brother of former four-term Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who left office in January. John E. Sununu served one term in the upper chamber before losing reelection to Shaheen and has not held public office since. Shaheen, 78, announced she would not seek reelection in March after serving three six-year terms.
President Donald Trump’s endorsement is likely to prove pivotal in the GOP primary contest. He has yet to weigh in on the race.
Brown, who served as U.S. ambassador to Samoa and New Zealand during Trump’s first term, has argued that he is the more Trump-aligned candidate. Brown also dubbed Sununu “the original ‘Never Trumper’” in a recent social media post.
Sununu supported former Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s 2016 presidential run and backed former Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in 2024.
Chris Sununu passed on the race in April despite receiving Trump’s endorsement. The younger Sununu brother notably still obtained the president’s support despite also backing Haley in 2024 and criticizing Trump during the primary contest.
A Republican has not won a Senate election in the Granite State since current-New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s victory in 2010.
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