Pappas and Sununu prevail in primaries, setting up expensive fight for U.S. Senate

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas will face off in November against Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu to be U.S. senator, after the two candidates prevailed in their respective primaries Tuesday.

The results, projected by the Associated Press shortly after 8 p.m., solidified what will likely be a bare-knuckled, expensive general election fight for the Senate seat, which is open after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her retirement. 

Polls suggest the contest between Pappas, the current representative for the 1st Congressional District, and Sununu could be close, and both candidates had been positioning themselves for the general election months before the primary. As the polling has tightened, the race has taken on increasing significance to Democrats’ chances to flip control of the U.S. Senate, with Pappas’s shrinking advantage drawing national attention. 

In winning his primary, Sununu held off a challenge from Scott Brown, the former U.S. senator from Massachusetts who has since moved to New Hampshire, after Brown attempted to align himself with President Donald Trump and run to Sununu’s right. Trump ultimately endorsed Sununu in February, spurning Brown and propelling Sununu into a lead Brown could never overcome. 

Pappas, meanwhile, bested Karishma Manzur, a medical scientist from Exeter and first-time candidate who ran as a progressive. Manzur called for universal health care and attacked Pappas for his prior support of Israel; Pappas has since told the Bulletin he wanted “a reset with respect to the U.S. policy toward Israel.”

In a statement after his victory, Sununu signaled awareness that the general election fight would be centered on the cost of living. 

“We will keep listening, keep working, and stay laser-focused on the economy, jobs, and making life more affordable,” Sununu said in the statement. 

“We will clean up Washington and hold politicians in both parties accountable,” Sununu continued. “I’ll push term limits, make Congress pay for the full cost of their healthcare, and cut Congress’ pay if they vote to shut down the government.”

Pappas had a similar message. “Everywhere I go, I hear the same thing: Life is too damn expensive,” he said in a victory speech Tuesday night, citing U.S.-led tariffs affecting businesses, the reduction of healthcare subsidies, and high gas and grocery prices. 

“Donald Trump thinks all of this is just a hoax. In fact, he says we’re living in a golden age,” Pappas said. “Well, I think he’s living on another planet because does this feel like a golden age to you?”

Both candidates had decisive victories: Just before 9 p.m., Pappas commanded 62.5% of the vote compared to Manzur’s 35.4%; around the same time, Sununu had taken 69.1% of the vote compared to Brown’s 25.6%, according to the Associated Press.