John Sununu Announces Senate Campaign in New Hampshire

Sat Oct 25 2025 21:45:55 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Former Senator John E. Sununu kicks off his campaign to reclaim his seat, aiming to strengthen Republican chances in a predominantly Democratic New Hampshire.

John E. Sununu, a former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, launched his campaign on Wednesday to win back his seat in the upcoming election. Aiming for the Republican nomination, Sununu hopes to leverage his political experience in a state dominated by Democrats. His primary battle will include former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, increasing the competitive landscape for the 2026 Senate election. Sununu has cited a desire to 'lower the temperature' in Congress and focus on key issues such as the economy, veterans, and healthcare. The Republican National Committee views his entry into the race as a crucial opportunity to expand their influence in New Hampshire, previously a stronghold for Democrats.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire Republican John E. Sununu announced a campaign for U.S. Senate on Wednesday, hoping to reclaim a seat he lost nearly two decades ago and boosting the GOP’s chances of regaining a foothold in a region overwhelmingly represented by Democrats.

Sununu, 61, is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat who ousted him in 2008. His decision sets up a primary featuring two former senators: Republican Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts before moving to New Hampshire and losing to Shaheen in 2014, has been running since June.

“Maybe you’re surprised to hear that I’m running for the Senate again. I’m a bit surprised myself,” Sununu said in a video announcement. “Why would anyone subject themselves to everything going on there right now? Well, somebody has to step up and lower the temperature. Somebody has to get things done.”

National Republicans consider Sununu a strong candidate and one that allows them to go on the offensive as they look to hold their majority in the chamber next year.

In statements, the Republican National Committee said Sununu’s entrance creates “a formidable Republican field poised to make this seat competitive in 2026.” The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC linked to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, said they were “excited” about Sununu’s bid and that it “expands the Senate map and puts the Granite State in play for Republicans.”

Sununu must first win the primary though, and his past opposition to President Donald Trump could be problematic. While Brown has aligned himself closely with Trump and served as his U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, Sununu backed Nikki Haley in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, writing an op-ed calling Trump a “loser.”

Sununu served three terms in the U.S. House before being elected to the Senate at age 38. He was the chamber’s youngest member throughout his term, a fact he emphasized in a 2008 campaign ad that showed him sprinting up a steep mountain path.

He’s now the same age Shaheen was when she defeated him and is 16 years older than U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Sununu said Congress has become “loud, dysfunctional, even angry” in his time away, and he hopes to return “to help calm the waters,” while focusing on the economy, veterans, health care costs, and Social Security.

Pappas’ campaign countered that he is the one who has been fighting to lower costs for working families, seniors, and small businesses while Sununu has spent years “cashing in and making millions selling out to corporations and working for special interests.”

Though Sununu has long been out of office, his name recognition remains high due to his family’s political prominence. His father, John H. Sununu, is a former governor and former White House chief of staff. One of his brothers, Chris Sununu, served four terms as governor and flirted with a Senate campaign of his own in 2021.