President Donald Trump on Sunday announced his endorsement of former Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) in New Hampshire, backing the Republican candidate in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2026 midterm cycle.
Sununu is seeking to return to the Senate following the retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
Shaheen announced last year that she would not seek another term.
Sununu previously served one term in the upper chamber from 2003 to 2009, after spending three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He hails from one of New Hampshire’s most prominent political families.
His brother, former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, declined to run for the open Senate seat, despite encouragement from President Trump.
His father, John H. Sununu, served as governor of New Hampshire and later as White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush.
Sununu first won election to the Senate in 2002 after defeating Shaheen.
Shaheen later reclaimed the seat by defeating Sununu in 2008.
Republicans believe Sununu’s statewide name recognition gives the party one of its strongest possible chances to flip the seat.
President Trump formally endorsed Sununu in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
“John will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, provide Affordable & High-Quality Health Care, Champion School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, and Defend our always-under-siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote.
“John is backed by Highly Respected Leaders in New Hampshire, as well as by many Republicans in the U.S. Senate. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement.
“JOHN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Sununu faces competition in the Republican primary from Scott Brown, a former U.S. senator from Massachusetts who served from 2010 to 2013.
Brown, who now resides in Rye, New Hampshire, previously ran for the state’s Senate seat in 2014 but lost to Shaheen in the general election.
A third Republican candidate, businessman and former state legislator Dan Innis, entered the race but withdrew in late 2025 and endorsed Sununu.
Polling from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows Sununu leading the GOP primary field with 48 percent support among likely Republican voters, compared to 25 percent for Brown.
Another 27 percent of respondents remain undecided.
On the Democrat side, Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) has emerged as the leading candidate.
He faces a primary challenge from Karishma Manzur, a medical scientist and nonprofit leader running to his left.
The same University of New Hampshire poll found Pappas leading the Democrat primary with 65 percent support, compared to 14 percent for Manzur, with 21 percent undecided.
While Shaheen held the seat for four consecutive terms, early general election polling suggests a competitive race.
According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Pappas currently leads Sununu in a hypothetical matchup by a narrow margin of 46.3 percent to 42.7 percent.
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