Sununu and Pappas win New Hampshire Senate primaries to contest Shaheen's vacated seat

New Hampshire's November Senate race is set: Republican John Sununu will face Democrat Chris Pappas after both won their primaries.

New Hampshire's U.S. Senate general election matchup is set after both parties' primaries produced clear winners. On the Republican side, former U.S. Senator John E. Sununu — backed by Donald Trump — defeated Scott Brown to secure the GOP nomination. On the Democratic side, four-term U.S. Congressman Chris Pappas fended off a challenge from progressive candidate Karishma Manzur to win his party's nomination. The two will now face each other in November for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Sununu's prior Senate experience and Pappas's four consecutive House victories give both candidates established political bases heading into the general election.

Why it matters

New Hampshire is a competitive swing state, and this Senate race could factor into which party controls the U.S. Senate after November's elections. Both nominees have significant political track records, making this a closely contested general election.

What's next

Sununu and Pappas will face each other in the New Hampshire U.S. Senate general election in November.

Key facts

• John E. Sununu, a former U.S. Senator, won the Republican primary with Donald Trump's backing
• Sununu defeated Scott Brown in the GOP race
• Chris Pappas, a four-term Democratic congressman, won the Democratic primary
• The two will face each other in the November general election for New Hampshire's U.S. Senate seat

Bias & framing notes

The Guardian framed Sununu's win as the central story, emphasizing Trump's endorsement and his race against Scott Brown. NHPR gave equal billing to both primaries, treating Pappas's win as equally newsworthy. Neither outlet provided detailed vote totals or margins of victory in the available reporting.

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