Democrat Chris Pappas faces Republican John E. Sununu, independents Tim Harris, Christine Lopez, Aaron Day, and Jeanne Logan Morrow, and Edmond Laplante in the November 3 general election in New Hampshire's U.S. Senate race. ​

The seat is held by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who announced in March 2025 she would not seek reelection.

Pappas has represented New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District since 2019 and previously served three terms on the state's Executive Council; he was the first openly gay person to represent New Hampshire in Congress. He won the Sept. 8 Democratic primary with about 65 percent of the vote over runner-up Karishma Manzur.

Sununu served three terms in the U.S. House and represented New Hampshire in the Senate from 2003 to 2009; after leaving Congress he worked in high tech, taught at Saint Anselm College, and served on corporate and nonprofit boards. He won the Sept. 8 Republican primary with about 69 percent of the vote over runner-up Scott Brown.

What They Stand For

Pappas has proposed lowering costs for families and small businesses, including making child care, health care, and housing more affordable, according to his campaign website. He's also supported:

  • Strengthening the Affordable Care Act, expanding rural health care access, and capping insulin at $35,
  • An "all-of-the-above energy strategy" that he says can lower costs and strengthen energy independence,
  • Banning congressional stock trading so officials serve constituents rather than enrich themselves; and
  • Protecting New Hampshire's water and setting stronger national safety standards for PFAS contamination.

Sununu has proposed opposing middle-class tax increases and focusing on reducing inflation and lowering housing, health care, and energy costs, according to his campaign website. He's also supported:

  • Defending Americans' privacy from government surveillance and large technology companies,
  • Legislation to help people with disabilities live, learn, and work with dignity; and
  • Treating mental illness as a disease and expanding bipartisan mental-health reforms.

The Money Behind the Race

Pappas has raised about $15.4 million through Aug. 19, nearly four times the about $4.2 million Sununu raised over the same period, and he leads in cash on hand, about $4.3 million to Sununu's about $3.1 million, a gap of roughly $1.2 million. Outside groups have spent about $3.1 million supporting Sununu, with Americans for Prosperity Action accounting for about $2.9 million of that total, while outside spending in support of Pappas totals just $1,188.

Outside groups have spent about $1.3 million opposing Pappas, led by Americans for Prosperity Action at about $1.2 million, versus about $131,000 opposing Sununu, with Strong as Granite PAC as the sole spender on that side.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The major forecasters lean toward Pappas, though they do not all agree on the margin. Cook Political Report rates the race Lean Democratic as of Oct. 12; Sabato's Crystal Ball rates it Likely Democratic as of Oct. 15; and Inside Elections rates it a Toss-up as of Oct. 2. Kalshi traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Pappas, an 89.11 percent chance of winning the seat as of Oct. 16, with Republicans, whose nominee is Sununu, at 10.89 percent.

Polling through Oct. 5 showed Pappas leading Sununu by 6.5 points, 49.1 percent to 42.6 percent. New Hampshire has leaned Democratic in recent federal elections. Democrats won both of the state's two U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024. In the state's other Senate seat, Democrat Maggie Hassan won in 2022 with about 54 percent of the vote. Democrat Kamala Harris carried New Hampshire in the 2024 presidential race with about 50 percent of the vote.

---

AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article