In New Hampshire’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate, voters appear poised to select one of two former senators—John Sununu or Scott Brown—in a race that contrasts with anti-establishment sentiment dominating Republican contests elsewhere. Sununu, who will turn 62 this week, previously served three terms in the U.S. House and one in the Senate before losing his seat to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in 2008. Brown, who will turn 67 this week, won a special election in Massachusetts following Senator Ted Kennedy’s death in 2009, lost his seat three years later, and unsuccessfully challenged Shaheen in 2014.
Sununu enjoys significant advantages in polls and fundraising, bolstered by President Donald Trump’s endorsement in February. However, the endorsement has created some complications—Sununu called Trump a “loser” during the 2024 GOP primary, while Brown served as Trump’s ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during his first term. Sununu has also benefited from confusion with his younger brother Chris, who recently completed two terms as governor. Multiple instances of voters and media outlets mixing up the two brothers have inadvertently raised Sununu’s profile.
Brown argues he offers greater independence, citing his time away from office and lack of major endorsements. He contends that Sununu cannot break with the president or special interests, while positioning himself as a freelancer willing to vote his conscience. Sununu counters that his lack of reelection concerns allows him to stand up for New Hampshire without worrying about Washington. University of New Hampshire political scientist Dante Scala noted surprise that Brown did not emphasize alignment with Trump, suggesting the former senator may not be fluent in contemporary Republican politics.
The Sununu-Brown matchup represents a notably different dynamic from the Democratic primary, where anti-establishment sentiment has propelled democratic socialist Karishma Manzur, a research scientist with a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology, to gain ground against four-term Representative Chris Pappas despite his significant fundraising advantage. The GOP primary winner will advance to a general election against the Democratic nominee amid questions about how either candidate will perform given Trump’s dismal approval ratings and apparent voter appetite for change.
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