Chris Pappas and John E. Sununu won their primaries, setting up New Hampshire's Senate race.
Why it matters: The open seat is one of the most competitive in the 2026 cycle and could help decide Senate control. New Hampshire is a narrow, high-stakes battleground with a history of close statewide races.
- Pappas won the Democratic primary and Sununu won the Republican primary on Sept. 8, 2026.
- The seat is open because Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said on March 12, 2025 she would not seek reelection.
- Shaheen's term ends in January 2027, so the winner will take office in the new Congress after the November 2026 election.
- AP says the contest is among the races likely to help determine control of the U.S. Senate.
New Hampshire's general election for the open U.S. Senate seat is now set to pit Democrat Chris Pappas against Republican John E. Sununu after both won their party primaries on Sept. 8, 2026, according to AP.
The seat opened after Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced on March 12, 2025 that she would not seek reelection in 2026, a decision that set up one of the cycle's marquee battlegrounds. Shaheen's term ends in January 2027, meaning the winner will join the new Congress after the November general election.
AP described the New Hampshire race as one of the contests likely to help determine control of the U.S. Senate in 2026, as both parties try to navigate a narrow map. The state has a history of close Senate elections, including Sununu's previous Senate win in 2002 and his loss to Shaheen in 2008.
The primary field also showed how both parties approached the race: Pappas defeated Karishma Manzur, while Sununu beat Scott Brown. AP and WBUR reported that both nominees are avoiding ideological extremes, making the matchup more conventional than some other battlegrounds.
Pappas has represented New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District since 2019. Sununu previously served in the U.S. House and one term in the U.S. Senate before losing to Shaheen in 2008.
By the numbers
- Sept. 8, 2026 - primary date for both parties in New Hampshire
- Nov. 2026 - general election that will decide the seat
- January 2027 - when Shaheen's term ends
Yes, but: The race is competitive, but both nominees are presenting themselves as comparatively moderate, which could narrow the range of issues that decide the contest.
What's next: The general election is in November 2026.