President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he is endorsing former U.S. Sen. John Sununu in New Hampshire, backing his bid to return to the Senate in one of the most closely watched races of the upcoming midterm elections. The endorsement comes as Republicans seek to flip the open seat following Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s decision to retire.
Sununu, who served one term in the Senate from 2003 to 2009 after three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, entered the race after Shaheen’s retirement announcement. He is the brother of former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and comes from a well-known political family in the state. His father, John H. Sununu, served as both New Hampshire governor and White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush.
Trump formally endorsed Sununu in a post on Truth Social, praising his policy positions on economic growth, energy, border security, public safety, and national defense. The president described Sununu as a strong advocate for conservative priorities and said he has broad support from Republican leaders in New Hampshire and the U.S. Senate.
The endorsement comes amid a competitive Republican primary. Sununu faces former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the New Hampshire Senate seat in 2014. A third Republican candidate, former state legislator Dan Innis, exited the race in late 2025 and endorsed Sununu. Recent polling from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows Sununu leading Brown among likely Republican primary voters, though a significant portion remains undecided.
On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas has emerged as the frontrunner and currently leads challenger Karishma Manzur in primary polling. Looking ahead to the general election, surveys indicate a closely contested race. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Pappas holds a narrow lead over Sununu, underscoring the seat’s status as a key battleground in the midterm cycle.