Former Sen. Sununu weighs 2026 bid to flip New Hampshire seat red
In an exclusive Fox News Digital interview, the Republican former senator says he believes the swing-state seat can be won and hints at a decision in October as an open-seat contest takes shape.
Former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu is weighing a 2026 bid for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat, telling Fox News Digital that "this is a race I know I can win" and that, with the right team, he could "make a difference for New Hampshire" in Washington. He said he will decide in October whether to run and stressed that the race would be winnable for the right candidate who reflects the state’s values, not the values of Washington.
The seat opens with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s decision not to seek re-election, setting up a high-stakes contest in a battleground state that has swung between parties in recent cycles. Sununu said voters in New Hampshire have encouraged him to run, arguing that the state needs a voice in Congress who will stand up for local interests rather than toe a party line.
National Republicans have already engaged with Sununu about a bid. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has spoken with him about a 2026 campaign, and Cory Gardner, who chairs the Senate Leadership Fund, has also participated in discussions. A source told Fox News Digital that Thune and Gardner were cautiously optimistic about the former senator entering the race. The Sununu name carries weight in New Hampshire politics: his father, John H. Sununu, served as governor and later as White House chief of staff, and his younger brother Chris Sununu has been governor for multiple terms.
The Republican landscape in New Hampshire is complicated by the party’s evolution under Donald Trump and the MAGA influence embedded in many primaries. Some of Sununu’s past criticisms of Trump could surface if he enters a primary that already features former Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis, both signaling strong support for the former president. Sununu also previously endorsed Nikki Haley in the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, aligning with a subset of Republicans who supported alternative paths to the nomination.
Asked about the possibility of earning Trump’s support, Sununu said, "I’d certainly love to have support from across the spectrum, that includes the president." But he added that, at the end of the day, the race is about building support in New Hampshire and offering the right leadership for the state. He emphasized a practical test: "the real question is, can you be effective? Can you work with other members of Congress? Can you work with this White House? Can you provide the kind of leadership it takes to get things done? And I know I can do that." He said he would assemble a strong campaign team and develop a message tailored to New Hampshire voters who want a representative focused on local priorities rather than party loyalty.
The race to replace Shaheen comes at a time when Republicans hope to defend and, in a favorable map, expand their Senate majority. In New Hampshire, Chris Pappas, a four-term congressman, is viewed as the Democratic frontrunner for the seat. Republican strategists see Sununu as a name with fundraising ability and cross-partisan appeal that could help the party contest a stubbornly independent-leaning swing state. Whether Sununu enters the race could hinge on whether he believes he can win a primary while maintaining broad support in a state that prizes both fiscal discipline and state-first governance.
Sununu’s decision timeline remains October. If he opts in, he intends to move quickly to assemble a campaign apparatus, refine a message, and begin outreach to voters who want responsible leadership in Washington without unnecessary polarization. The political choreography in New Hampshire will likely intensify in the coming weeks as Sununu weighs the advice of longtime supporters, national allies, and residents who have urged him to consider taking on Shaheen’s open seat.
As the calendar advances toward the 2026 midterms, Sununu’s potential candidacy highlights a broader strategic calculus for Republicans: can a familiar, fiscally conservative voice from a storied political family translate New Hampshire’s unique politics into a competitive bid in a year that could determine Senate control? Sununu’s camp has framed the decision as one about delivering for New Hampshire on issues like the economy, national security, and the balance of power in Congress, rather than about personal ambition alone.
If Sununu does pursue the race, he would join a slate of candidates navigating a crowded field and a national environment where endorsements and early fundraising can define the opening chapters of a campaign. While Trump’s stance in the NH primary landscape remains nuanced—neutral so far on who should win the Republican nomination—Sununu’s ability to position himself as a pragmatic, state-focused leader could be a differentiating factor in a contest that is likely to hinge on residence, policy, and temperament rather than personality alone.
The contours of the 2026 race in New Hampshire underscore how the state remains a bellwether in national politics: a Republican who can articulate a practical, state-friendly agenda may have the best shot at flipping the seat in a political environment that prizes local governance and cross-aisle cooperation. Sununu’s decision, expected in October, will be watched closely by Republicans plotting to capitalize on a map that features several competitive races and a Senate where every seat could matter. If he runs, his candidacy would add a high-profile test of whether a Sununu-brand conservatism—centered on leadership, accountability, and attention to New Hampshire values—can compete in a party navigating a post-Trump era while appealing to the Granite State’s diverse electorate.