Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas is projected to win the U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire, according to Decision Desk HQ, handing Democrats a crucial victory in their effort to maintain control of the chamber.
With 22 percent of the vote counted shortly after 8 p.m. EST, Pappas held nearly 61 percent of the vote. The race had been viewed as a potential Republican pickup opportunity, with former Sen. John Sununu, scion of a prominent New Hampshire political family, as the GOP nominee. Sununu served one term in the Senate in the 2000s.
Pappas, 46, proved to be a formidable candidate, having defeated a democratic socialist challenger in the primary. Throughout the campaign, he emphasized his congressional record and his deep New Hampshire roots—his grandfather founded a restaurant that claims to have invented the chicken tender. He also made history as the first openly gay man elected to the Senate.
Strategists said Pappas benefited from an unfavorable national environment for Republicans, tying Sununu to President Trump and the administration's policies, including the conflict with Iran. Polls had shown a volatile race, with election handicappers shifting the rating from "likely Democratic" to "toss-up" and back again in the months following the primary.
New Hampshire has a tradition of ticket-splitting, having elected Republicans to statewide office in recent decades, but it has also consistently backed Democratic presidential nominees this century. Pappas, widely regarded as one of the most bipartisan members of the House—and the most bipartisan Democrat—was well positioned to capture that dynamic.
Decision Desk HQ had given Pappas an 88 percent chance of winning the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. His victory adds to a strong night for Democrats, who also flipped a Senate seat in Iowa and defended other competitive races. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the results a "generational remake" of the chamber.
Before his House tenure, Pappas served in the New Hampshire state legislature and as county treasurer. In Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Veterans' Affairs committees. His win is expected to help Democrats maintain their narrow majority, as they also saw success in other key contests, including flipping a Senate seat in Iowa and holding on to a House seat in Minnesota.
The race drew national attention as Republicans sought to capitalize on Sununu's name recognition and the state's independent streak. But Pappas's moderate profile and focus on local issues ultimately resonated with voters, who also rejected a GOP redistricting plan in Missouri that could have shifted the balance of power.
With his victory, Pappas becomes a key figure in the Democratic caucus, and his bipartisan approach may prove influential in a closely divided Senate. His win also signals that Democrats can hold their own in swing states, even as Republicans gain ground elsewhere.
