The 2026 New Hampshire Senate race: Chris Pappas vs. John E. Sununu

Active · last development Sep 9, 2026: “Chris Pappas courts Democratic socialist support to keep New Hampshire Senate seat blue”

What this arc covers

The 2026 race for the New Hampshire U.S. Senate seat Jeanne Shaheen is leaving: Shaheen's retirement, Chris Pappas's campaign, John E. Sununu's entry into the Republican primary, the September 2026 primaries, and the Pappas-Sununu general election.

New Hampshire

Earliest story we hold Mar 12, 2025 · 10 stories · 51 independent sources (counted once each) · 546 days

Part ofNew HampshireUnited States SenateDemocratic PartyRhode IslandMassachusettsDonald TrumpAP Decision Notes

Part of The 2026 Senate races

  1. The 2026 Florida Senate race: Ashley Moody vs. Angie NixonJan 16, 2025 – Sep 19, 2026
  2. The 2026 Kentucky Senate race to succeed Mitch McConnellFeb 20, 2025 – Jan 19, 2026
  3. The 2026 New Hampshire Senate race: Chris Pappas vs. John E. SununuThis arcMar 12, 2025 – Sep 9, 2026
  4. The 2026 Michigan Senate race: Abdul El-Sayed vs. Mike RogersApr 14, 2025 – Sep 23, 2026
  5. The 2026 Illinois Senate race to succeed Dick DurbinApr 23, 2025 – Mar 18, 2026
  6. The 2026 Minnesota Senate race: Peggy Flanagan vs. Michele TafoyaApr 29, 2025 – Aug 12, 2026
  7. The 2026 Georgia Senate race: Jon Ossoff vs. Mike CollinsMay 5, 2025 – Sep 29, 2026
  8. The 2026 Nebraska Senate race: Pete Ricketts vs. Dan OsbornJul 8, 2025 – Sep 16, 2026
Show remaining 11 arcs
  1. The 2026 Maine Senate race: Troy Jackson vs. Susan CollinsNov 14, 2024 – Sep 27, 2026
  2. The 2026 Ohio Senate race: Jon Husted vs. Sherrod BrownJan 15, 2025 – Sep 27, 2026
  3. The 2026 North Carolina Senate race: Roy Cooper vs. Michael WhatleyJul 24, 2025 – Sep 28, 2026
  4. The 2026 Iowa Senate race: Josh Turek vs. Ashley HinsonAug 29, 2025 – Sep 23, 2026
  5. The 2026 Wyoming Senate race to succeed Cynthia LummisDec 19, 2025 – Aug 19, 2026
  6. The 2026 Alaska Senate race: Dan Sullivan vs. Mary PeltolaJan 12 – Sep 24, 2026
  7. The 2026 Louisiana Senate race: Bill Cassidy's primary defeatJan 18 – Jun 27, 2026
  8. The 2026 Texas Senate race: James Talarico vs. Ken PaxtonApr 28 – Sep 25, 2026
  9. The 2026 Massachusetts Senate race: Ed Markey vs. Seth MoultonMay 30 – Sep 4, 2026
  10. The 2026 Kansas Senate race: Roger Marshall vs. Adam HamiltonAug 5 – Sep 28, 2026
  11. The 2026 South Carolina Senate race: Darline Graham vs. Annie AndrewsSep 11 – Sep 27, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 92026Chris Pappas courts Democratic socialist support to keep New Hampshire Senate seat blue1 articles · 1 independent sources
0 left, 0 center, 1 right
Sep 92026The establishment strikes back in New Hampshire Senate primary3 articles · 3 independent sources
0 left, 0 center, 2 right
Sep 82026New Hampshire Senate race tightens, Rhode Island governor on track to lose: 5 primaries to watch1 articles · 1 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Mar 12, 2025New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won’t seek reelection in 202624 articles · 20 independent sources
  2. Apr 7 – 8, 2025Sununu decides he won’t run for Senate despite praise from Trump12 articles · 9 independent sources
  3. Oct 22, 2025Ex-US Sen. John E. Sununu enters GOP primary race in New Hampshire for the seat he lost in 200813 articles · 12 independent sources
  4. Sep 6 – 8, 2026New Hampshire voters pick nominees as Sen. Shaheen’s exit sparks a scramble for key seats18 articles · 13 independent sources
    1. Sep 6, 2026AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New Hampshire’s state primary
    2. Sep 8, 2026Only center coverage:New Hampshire primary: U.S. Senate, House seats up for grabs
  5. Sep 8 – 11, 2026Sununu-Pappas Senate race shaping up to be costly, bitter52 articles · 39 independent sources
    1. Sep 8, 2026Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu to face U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire Senate race
    2. Sep 9, 2026With Sununu vs. Pappas, familiar names will compete in New Hampshire Senate race

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Mar 2025Jun 2025Oct 2025Feb 2026May 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Mar 10, 202547724
Mar 31, 20252428
Apr 7, 202524312
Jun 23, 20254105
Oct 20, 202534213
Aug 31, 20260011
Sep 7, 20261414972

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

39% left · 31% center · 30% right of 51 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 10 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. March 2025

    Mar 12New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won’t seek reelection in 202624 articles · 20 independent sources
    4 left, 7 center, 7 right

  2. April 2025

    Apr 3Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas enters Senate race in New Hampshire8 articles · 8 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 2 right
  3. Apr 7– 8Sununu decides he won’t run for Senate despite praise from Trump12 articles · 9 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 3 right

  4. June 2025

    Jun 25Scott Brown announces run for US Senate in New Hampshire5 articles · 5 independent sources
    4 left, 1 center, 0 right

  5. October 2025

    Oct 22Ex-US Sen. John E. Sununu enters GOP primary race in New Hampshire for the seat he lost in 200813 articles · 12 independent sources
    3 left, 4 center, 2 right

  6. September 2026

    Sep 6– 8New Hampshire voters pick nominees as Sen. Shaheen’s exit sparks a scramble for key seats18 articles · 13 independent sources
    3 left, 6 center, 2 right
  7. Sep 8– 11Sununu-Pappas Senate race shaping up to be costly, bitter52 articles · 39 independent sources
    12 left, 11 center, 7 right
  8. Sep 8New Hampshire Senate race tightens, Rhode Island governor on track to lose: 5 primaries to watch1 articles · 1 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  9. Sep 9The establishment strikes back in New Hampshire Senate primary3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 2 right
  10. Sep 9Chris Pappas courts Democratic socialist support to keep New Hampshire Senate seat blue1 articles · 1 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 1 right