Former New Hampshire Sen. John E. Sununu has officially jumped into the 2026 race to reclaim the seat left vacant by retiring Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, and national Republicans couldn't be happier about it.
The GOP sees this pickup opportunity as crucial to holding and expanding their Senate majority, and party leaders have been practically rolling out the red carpet for Sununu ever since his brother, former Gov. Chris Sununu, decided to take a pass on running.
The younger Sununu served in the Senate from 2003 to 2009 before losing to Shaheen in 2008. Now 61 and ready for a political comeback after years away from elected office, he's stepping into what's shaping up to be a competitive primary against former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who's been campaigning since June.
But if early polling is any indication, Brown's going to have a rough time of it. Sununu is crushing him by 23 points among likely Republican primary voters.
Senate Republican leadership under Majority Leader John Thune has been actively courting Sununu, and it's easy to see why. An internal memo dated October 15 makes the case crystal clear, compiling polling data that shows Sununu in a statistical dead heat with Democratic front-runner Rep. Chris Pappas. The memo pulls from multiple polls showing Sununu trailing Pappas by no more than six points and sometimes by as little as two. The memo concludes that Sununu is "consistently in a statistical tie with Chris Pappas, and is uniquely positioned to win."
By contrast, Brown is getting smoked in head-to-head matchups against Pappas, trailing by double digits and underperforming a generic Republican candidate by 6.5 points.
The memo's bottom line is blunt: "The data confirms John Sununu is THE candidate that makes New Hampshire most competitive for Senate Republicans in 2026."
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But here's where things get interesting. Sununu's relationship with President Donald Trump has been, let's say, complicated. He opposed Trump in past presidential primaries and campaigns, which could be a problem in today's GOP. Brown is already positioning himself as the more Trump-aligned candidate, and with Trump's endorsement seen as critical to winning the primary, Sununu knows he needs to smooth things over. That's why he's expected to meet with Trump and has been working the phones with Senate Republican leaders to shore up support.
Sununu comes from New Hampshire Republican royalty. His father and brother both served as governors, giving him deep roots in the state's political landscape. He's banking on that legacy and his Senate experience to carry him through what could be a brutal primary fight.
For Republicans, flipping New Hampshire's Senate seat isn't just about adding one more vote to their majority. It's about solidifying control for years to come and sending a message that even blue-leaning states are in play. Sununu's entry transforms what could have been a long shot into a genuine pickup opportunity, and national Republicans are betting big that he's the guy who can deliver.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is still ongoing, and polls are now showing Americans are increasingly blaming the Democrats for this mess, but we can’t let them spin their way out of it.
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