On September 8–9, 2026, former Republican Senator John Sununu and Democratic Representative Chris Pappas won their respective primary races in New Hampshire. The results set up a competitive Senate race to replace retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen, with both candidates fielding familiar establishment-backed campaigns.
A late surge by a progressive challenger injected drama into New Hampshire's Democratic Senate primary on September 8, 2026, threatening to derail U.S. Representative Chris Pappas' path to the nomination for an open Senate seat. The race was identified as one of the nation's key midterm contests.
Voters in New Hampshire held primary elections on September 8, 2026 to nominate candidates for a high-stakes Senate race and a Democratic House primary that emerged as a test of party establishment strength. The Senate race was identified as one of the most significant in the country.
On 6 September 2026, New Hampshire Democrats warned of a competitive Senate race as likely nominee Chris Pappas prepared to face a well-known opponent, John E. Su, despite the state's 16-year streak of not electing a Republican senator.