Pappas Holds New Hampshire Senate Seat for Democrats
WHO:
NY Post - Chris Pappas would be the first openly gay male senator in U.S. history.
Boston.com News - Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas and Republican John E. Sununu were the candidates in New Hampshire’s U.S. Senate race.
CBS News Politics - Pappas is a Democratic representative; Sununu is a former Republican senator.
NBC News Politics - Pappas is a Democratic congressman; Sununu is a Republican former senator. Retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen held the seat.
Fox News - Pappas is a Democratic representative; Sununu is a Republican backed by Trump.
WHAT:
WMUR - John E. Sununu conceded the Senate race and called Chris Pappas to congratulate him.
WMUR - Sununu told supporters, “This has been an incredible campaign, but this is not our night.”
WMUR - Pappas said the result showed Granite Staters believe the country needs “a course correction.”
WMUR - Pappas called the result “a victory for Team New Hampshire over the broken status quo” and said it was “a wakeup call” for corporate special interests, billionaires and members of Congress.
NY Post - National Democrats put more money into the race to succeed Jeanne Shaheen.
Boston.com News - Pappas defeated Sununu, keeping New Hampshire’s U.S. Senate seat in Democratic hands.
CBS News Politics - Pappas won the New Hampshire Senate election, according to CBS News’s projection, keeping the seat under Democratic control.
NBC News Politics - Pappas won New Hampshire’s Senate race, according to NBC News’s projection, keeping Shaheen’s seat “blue.”
Fox News - Pappas defeated Sununu in a high-stakes race and held the seat for Democrats as they seek a Senate majority.
WHERE:
WMUR - Sununu made his concession speech at his election-night party in Manchester.
Boston.com News - The Senate race was in New Hampshire.
CBS News Politics - The Senate election was in New Hampshire.
NBC News Politics - The Senate race was in New Hampshire.
Fox News - The Senate race was in New Hampshire, described as a key battleground.
WHEN:
Boston.com News - The article said New Hampshire voters had not elected a Republican to Congress since 2010.
WHY:
NY Post - Shaheen was retiring after three terms in the Senate.
Boston.com News - Pappas’s victory kept the Senate seat in Democratic hands.
CBS News Politics - The victory maintained Democratic control of the seat.
NBC News Politics - The victory kept Shaheen’s seat Democratic.
Fox News - The win was a critical hold for Democrats seeking a Senate majority.
HOW:
WMUR - Sununu conceded at about 8:10 p.m., shortly after polls closed across New Hampshire.
CBS News Politics - CBS News projected Pappas as the winner.
NBC News Politics - NBC News projected Pappas as the winner.
Fox News - Sununu was described as Trump-backed.
(UPDATED November 4, 2026 07:00 UTC)
Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire’s Senate race, keeping the seat in Democratic hands. Sununu conceded and called Pappas to congratulate him. Pappas becomes the first openly gay male senator in U.S. history.
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(UPDATED November 4, 2026 02:59 UTC)
Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire’s Senate race, keeping the seat Democratic. Sununu, a former senator backed by Trump, challenged Pappas as retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s successor. Pappas will become the first openly gay male senator in U.S. history.
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(UPDATED November 4, 2026 02:06 UTC)
Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire’s Senate race. The victory kept the seat, previously held by Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic. Sununu had Trump’s backing, but Pappas’s win bolstered Democrats’ Senate majority hopes.