New Hampshire voters on Tuesday chose a general election matchup that could help decide control of the U.S. Senate. Former senator John E. Sununu won the Republican nomination, and U.S. Representative Chris Pappas won the Democratic side, NBC News projected.
Sununu defeated former Massachusetts senator Scott Brown in a primary centered on loyalty to President Trump, who endorsed Sununu. Pappas, who has represented New Hampshire's 1st District since 2019, cleared a crowded Democratic field.
An open seat with national stakes
The race is open because Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, is retiring after three terms. New Hampshire has not sent a Republican to the Senate since 2010, and the party sees the seat as one of its best chances to flip a Democratic-held seat in the November midterms. Analysts say the outcome could determine which party controls the chamber.
Polls in the general election race have shown Pappas ahead. NBC News' Steve Kornacki called it a very tall order for Republicans to win the seat. New Hampshire has backed Democrats in recent federal races even as it elects Republican governors and state lawmakers.
Ripples down the ballot
Sununu's win leaves Pappas' House seat open. Trump-backed businessman Anthony Di Lorenzo won the Republican nomination in that district, setting up a competitive race for a seat Democrats have held for nearly a decade.
Both parties now turn to the Nov. 3 general election, with New Hampshire and a handful of other states expected to decide Senate control. The race will test whether Trump's endorsement can carry Republicans in a state that has resisted the party at the federal level in recent cycles.