New Hampshire Primaries Set Up High-Stakes US Senate and Gubernatorial Battles for November

Voters cast their ballots in the primary for midterm elections at Sanbornton Town Hall, New Hampshire, US, on September 8, 2026. With New Hampshire voters having not elected a Republican senator since 2010, the upcoming November midterms carry immense weight for the balance of power in Washington [CJ Gunther/Getty via AFP].

Republican John E Sununu and Democrat Chris Pappas have secured their respective primary victories in New Hampshire and are now set to compete for a crucial United States Senate seat that could potentially flip the chamber in November. Former Senator Sununu and House Representative Pappas are battling to replace outgoing Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, as both candidates entered the race as strong frontrunners.

In the House Republican primaries, Anthony DiLorenzo emerged victorious in the 1st Congressional District, while Lily Tang Williams secured the 2nd District without significant opposition. Tang Williams will now face House Representative Maggie Goodlander, who is campaigning for a second term. Meanwhile, in a tight Democratic primary for the 1st District, Stefany Shaheen—daughter of Jeanne Shaheen—defeated retired Marine Maura Sullivan.

Republican Kelly Ayotte dominated the state gubernatorial race, easily defeating two little-known challengers. The former US senator and state attorney general is seeking a second two-year term, and she will run against Cinde Warmington, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Former Vice President Kamala Harris previously won the state in the 2024 presidential election by a margin of 2.78 percentage points over President Donald Trump.

While New Hampshire has frequently leaned toward electing Republicans for state government and Democrats for federal congressional seats, the Grand Old Party views this Senate contest as a prime opportunity to gain a foothold in New England. Conversely, Democrats are fighting desperately to retain the seat, needing a net gain of four seats to retake the Senate, which is currently controlled by Republicans.

During the Democratic primary race, the second frontrunner, democratic socialist Karishma Manzur, ultimately failed to defeat Pappas despite gaining momentum in recent weeks. Manzur had strongly criticized Pappas for his relationship with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). On the Republican side, Sununu defeated seven opponents, including former Massachusetts state senator Scott Brown.

“Chris Pappas has three main qualities: ineffective, partisan and out of touch with New Hampshire,” Sununu declared at his victory party. In response, Pappas sought to tie Sununu to the increasingly unpopular US President Donald Trump during his campaign. Interestingly, Trump endorsed Sununu despite the Republican candidate having previously described him as a “loser” during the 2024 presidential race.

“While New Hampshire families are struggling to make ends meet, John Sununu has thrown his lot in with Donald Trump and supports the policies that cater to big corporations and billionaires while they make life harder for Granite Staters,” Pappas countered.

In the race for the House, Stefany Shaheen secured the Democratic nomination for the 1st District to compete for the seat left open by Pappas. In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Goodlander defeated progressive challenger Paige Beauchemin. Tang Williams secured the Republican nomination in her third attempt for the seat, having previously been the GOP nominee in 2024. Political newcomer DiLorenzo also advanced past three other candidates with relative ease, boosted by an endorsement from Trump.

Looking ahead, voters across Rhode Island are preparing to head to the polls. The most closely watched election in Rhode Island is the race for governor, where incumbent Governor Dan McKee—facing voter dissatisfaction and low job approval ratings—is facing off against Helena Foulkes, who also challenged him in the 2022 gubernatorial primary elections and has led in the polls by double digits for months. Kamala Harris previously won Rhode Island in the 2024 presidential election with a lead of 13.7 percentage points.