# Trump-Backed Sununu Loses NH After Distancing From President

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/trump-backed-sununu-loses-nh-after-distancing-from-president
- Published: 2026-11-04T14:02:44.206654+00:00
- Topics: senate-elections, new-hampshire, midterms-2026, lgbtq, trump

## What the left says
- Pappas' win reflects voters' desire for a check on Trump's economic agenda, including tariffs, healthcare cuts, and the costs of the Iran war.
- His victory makes him the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate, a historic milestone that energized supporters.
- Prominent New Hampshire Republicans like Don Bolduc crossed party lines to endorse Pappas, arguing Sununu was too closely tied to Trump despite his public distancing.
- Pappas campaigned as a bipartisan, independent-minded candidate while channeling populist frustration with corporate interests and billionaires rigging the economy.

## What the right says
- Sununu tried to carve out independence from Trump, criticizing his trade war and declaring he'd oppose the president's policies when bad for New Hampshire, but this strategy failed to overcome a broader anti-incumbent political environment.
- Republicans viewed this as one of their best pickup opportunities given the Sununu family's deep roots and name recognition in New Hampshire politics.
- Sununu argued Pappas had accomplished little in eight years in Congress and would serve as a rubber stamp for the far left, a critique that didn't break through with voters.
- The loss came amid difficult national headwinds for Republicans, including backlash over gas and diesel prices and the unpopular Iran conflict, making the race harder to win regardless of candidate positioning.

## Common ground
- Chris Pappas defeated John Sununu by a wide early margin, roughly 60% to 38%, in a race both parties expected to be close.
- Sununu publicly distanced himself from President Trump during the campaign despite accepting his endorsement.
- New Hampshire hasn't elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 2010, making this a historically difficult pickup for the GOP.
- The race was considered a top-tier, heavily contested battleground with significant national party investment from both sides.

## Sources
- [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/11/04/new-hampshire-nh-senate-results-sununu-pappas) (Lean Left)
- [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-hampshire-2026-senate-pappas-sununu/) (Lean Left)
- [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pappas-wins-democrats-score-major-senate-victory-pappas-defeats-trump-backed-republican-key-battleground) (Right)
- [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/adam-hamilton-kansas-senate-democrat-winner-upset-roger-marshall-rcna603310) (Lean Left)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/new-hampshire-senate-chris-pappas-john-sununu) (Left)

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