New Hampshire held primary elections on Tuesday for congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative candidates. The contest was shaped significantly by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s announcement that she would not pursue another term, creating a wide-open race for her seat.
On the Republican side, eight candidates sought the party’s nomination to replace Shaheen. Two notably included John E. Sununu and Scott Brown, both former U.S. senators who had previously lost races against Shaheen. Sununu, who spent one Senate term before his defeat in 2008, centered his campaign on issues including housing, healthcare, and energy affordability. Brown, who previously represented Massachusetts before unsuccessfully challenging Shaheen in 2014, emphasized his background as a veteran and ambassador under President Donald Trump’s first term. Brown characterized himself as the only truly independent candidate in the field, while Sununu maintained Trump’s endorsement despite having criticized the former president in 2024.
The Democratic primary for Shaheen’s seat featured five candidates, with U.S. Representative Chris Pappas leading in fundraising and polling. Pappas is vacating his 1st Congressional District seat, prompting additional competitive races. Among seven Democratic candidates seeking his former seat was Stefany Shaheen, the senator’s daughter, along with Maura Sullivan, a Marine veteran and former Obama administration official who previously ran unsuccessfully for the same position in 2018. In the 1st District Republican primary, four candidates competed, including Trump-endorsed Anthony DiLorenzo and Hollie Noveletsky, who ran two years prior.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic Representative Maggie Goodlander faced a primary challenge from progressive state lawmaker Paige Beachemin. The Republican field included Lily Tang Williams, making her third attempt at the seat after being the nominee two years ago. Meanwhile, Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte faced minimal primary opposition as she sought a second two-year term, while Cinde Warmington ran unopposed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Voters also selected nominees for all 424 state legislative seats, where Republicans maintain significant majorities in the state House and Senate.
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