Republicans are eyeing New Hampshire's open Senate seat as a potentially competitive race in the 2026 midterms.
Republican candidates are trailing Democratic Representative Chris Pappas in the latest poll for the U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire, a light-blue state the GOP is hoping to contest in November.has contacted the campaigns of Pappas, Republican candidates John Sununu and Scott Brown, and Democratic candidate Karishma Manzur for comment via email.
The retirement of incumbent Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen leaves open a Senate race in a state President Donald Trump lost by fewer than 3 percentage points in the 2024 election. Republicans are hoping to make the race competitive, pointing to potentially strong recruits in Sununu, who previously held the seat, or Brown, another former U.S. senator. But Democrats believe aThe new poll from Saint Anselm College gives Pappas an advantage in matchups against Brown and Sununu. Sununu winning the GOP nomination would make the race closer, according to the poll. Pappas led by 3 points in that scenario . He held a more comfortable lead against Brown . The poll surveyed 1,491 registered voters in New Hampshire from March 16 to 18 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.The Republican primary features two well‑known former U.S. senators: John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire from 2003 to 2009, and Scott Brown—who, after winning a special election, represented Massachusetts from 2010 to 2013 before relocating to New Hampshire. Brown also served as the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during Trump's first term and ran for the U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire in 2014. The Saint Anselm College poll showed Sununu with a lead over Brown in the Republican primary. Forty-nine percent of respondents said they would back Sununu, compared to 28 percent who said they planned to vote for Brown. Trump has endorsed Sununu in the race. Sununu's family is well-known in New Hampshire politics. His father, John H. Sununu, andChris Pappas has represented New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District—viewed as the more competitive of the state's two districts—since 2019. He is viewed as the front-runner in the Democratic primary but is facing a challenge from progressive Karishma Manzur. The new poll found that 71 percent of Democratic primary voters planned to back Pappas, compared to 9 percent who were planning to vote for Manzur. Prior to serving in Congress, Pappas served in political positions such as member of the New Hampshire Executive Council and Hillsborough County treasurer. Manzur is a medical scientist and political newcomer.Earlier this year, a University of New Hampshire poll showed Pappas up 10 points over Brown and five points over Sununu . It surveyed 2,017 likely voters from January 15 to 19.and Praecones Analytica showed Pappas up 18 points over Brown and about six points over Sununu . It surveyed 603 voters from December 26 to 28 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.99 percentage points.Neil Levesque, the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, wrote in a polling release: "War and economic uncertainty are creating headwinds for Republicans in New Hampshire, putting Congressman Chris Pappas in a stronger position than in our previous survey.""At Diz's in Manchester today, folks shared how Trump's reckless agenda is making it more expensive to put food on the table. I'm fighting for changes like eliminating tariffs on groceries and ending AI price-gouging because it shouldn't be this hard to make ends meet.""Tremendous enthusiasm and resolve at the @NHGOP Annual Meeting in Concord. Republicans are charged up to win in 2026. Start packing Chris Pappas!""Congressman, really? You held the country hostage for 43 days and are still holding the country hostage. Obamacare is absolutely not affordable. You can't keep your doctors. And you voted against $500 million for our rural health centers. Shame on you.""Granite Staters can't afford healthcare or rising property taxes, yet billions are spent on foreign wars. What if we invested in our own communities? This isn't about scarcity, it's about priorities."The New Hampshire primary is set for September 8, leaving plenty of time for candidates to make their pitches to voters. Forecasters currently give Democrats an advantage. The Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball classify the race as"Leans Democrat.", ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not"both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you., you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations.Politics
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