Pappas Leads Sununu in New Hampshire Senate Election

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas has established a substantial lead over former Republican Sen. John Sununu in New Hampshire's November 3, 2026, U.S.

Senate election. The contest will determine who replaces retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, while voters also decide control of the state's legislature and other political institutions.

According to NBC News election results published November 3, Pappas received 60.9% of the reported vote, compared with 37.3% for Sununu. Independent candidate Edmond Laplante secured the remaining 1.8%. The results table listed 97,955 total votes.

Sununu would need to capture 51% of the remaining ballots to catch or surpass Pappas, according to NBC News' election analysis. Sununu previously represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003 to 2009, while Pappas won a Republican-held House seat in 2018.

Election participation also showed signs of strength in Manchester. At approximately 3:30 p.m. Eastern time, local officials reported more than 29,000 voters, exceeding the 28,000 recorded around an hour later during the 2022 midterm elections, according to NBC News.

Beyond the Senate contest, the November 3 election carries significant consequences for New Hampshire's House of Representatives, state Senate and Executive Council. Republicans entered the election controlling all three institutions, although Democrats identified several legislative districts as potential opportunities for gains.

According to New Hampshire Public Radio's November 1 analysis, Republicans held a 211-170 advantage in the state House, a 16-8 majority in the state Senate and four of the Executive Council's five seats. Republican-drawn legislative districts also provide the party with a structural advantage in several contests.

Democratic strategist Steve Marchand of Portsmouth highlighted the unusual political circumstances created by leading candidates from opposing parties in the gubernatorial and Senate races.

"Nobody else in the country is like this. I cannot overstate that: nobody," Marchand said.

He argued that the contrasting statewide political dynamics make it difficult to predict how voters will approach lower-profile legislative contests. Ticket splitting, national political sentiment and local economic pressures could all influence the results.

Republican Rep. Ross Berry, who helps lead the Committee to Elect House Republicans, identified voter participation and the party's organizational strength as central challenges heading into the election.

"In a midterm election, people have to get off the couch," Berry said.

Republicans also viewed a ballot question proposing limits on local property tax growth as an opportunity to mobilize voters. The measure concerns property taxes used to finance public schools.

"I see this as: Can the Republican apparatus, which has never been this well-organized and hard-charging, plus a tax cap, overcome tough national headwinds?" Berry said.

Democratic strategist Karen Hicks pointed to the state's legislative district boundaries as a major obstacle for her party. She argued that the existing political maps could limit Democratic gains even when voter sentiment favors their candidates.

"The House and the Senate are extremely gerrymandered bodies," Hicks said.

She maintained that legislative outcomes may not accurately reflect broader political momentum across the electorate.

"So outcomes don’t really reflect the energy that’s out there among the electorate. But that said, I think we will be successful," Hicks said.

Hicks expected Democrats to gain seats in the state House and potentially secure additional representation in the Senate, although she acknowledged uncertainty surrounding voter behavior.

"pick up a couple of Senate seats," Hicks said.

She also described the electorate as increasingly unpredictable across demographic and socioeconomic groups, making traditional political forecasts less reliable.

"We are in a moment where things are getting shaken up, where it’s not the same level of predictable behavior by demographic group by socio-economic status, and by partisan label," Hicks said.

Several state Senate contests were identified as competitive. District 11, currently represented by Republican Tim McGough, is among the leading Democratic pickup opportunities. Democrat Shannon Chandley previously held the seat, while McGough lost his committee assignments following allegations concerning his treatment of State House employees.

Other closely watched contests include District 18, where Republican Victoria Sullivan faces Democrat Leonard Bell, and District 9, where Republican Denise Ricciardi faces Matt McLaughlin. Ricciardi defeated McLaughlin by approximately 1,000 votes in their 2024 contest.

District 3 also features Republican Mark McConkey against Democratic state Rep. Bobbi Boudman. In District 7, incumbent Republican Dan Innis faces challenger Rebecca Harned.

Control of the Executive Council presents another challenge for Democrats. Republican David Wheeler faces former state senator Melanie Levesque in District 5, a contest identified as a potential Democratic pickup if the party performs strongly statewide.

The state House will also have a new speaker because Republican Speaker Sherman Packard is not seeking another term. Republican Majority Leader Jason Osborne is a leading candidate for the position, while Democratic House Leader Alexis Simpson is expected to seek the speakership if Democrats win control.