NEW: Popular Republican Stuns Dems, Enters Key Senate Race With Early Edge

Former Sen. John E. Sununu just jumped into the New Hampshire Senate race, leaving Democrats both stunned and concerned for their chances heading into the election. Sununu announced on Wednesday that he would be running for the seat he held for a single term before being ousted by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in 2008.

Shaheen announced she would be retiring next year during the midterm elections.

“Maybe you’re surprised to hear that I’m running for the Senate again. I’m a bit surprised myself. Why would anyone subject themselves to everything going on there right now?” Sununu went on to say in a launch video posted on social media Wednesday morning. “Well, somebody has to step up and lower the temperature. Somebody has to get things done.”

The New Hampshire way is simple.

Freedom, hard work, and independence; those aren’t just Granite State values, they’re American values. That’s what I’ll fight for every day. pic.twitter.com/Ril2I7bm9r

— John E. Sununu (@SununuSenator) October 22, 2025

Sununu, 61, is the scion of a well-known Republican political dynasty, and thus gives the GOP their best shot at flipping the seat. His brother, former Gov. Chris Sununu, shot down the Republican Party’s attempt to recruit him for another term.

According to Politico, Sununu brings a lot to the table for the GOP. A critical element in winning any election is fundraising. With Sununu running for Senate, he brings his family’s massive fundraising apparatus with him. He also has close relationships with Senate Republican leadership, including Majority Leader John Thune.

Conservatives at the state and federal levels consider him a strong candidate for the seat. Early polling data has him ahead in the GOP primary and has revealed he is the most competitive Republican against Democratic front-runner Rep. Chris Pappas.

“Sununu has been in talks with the White House about his campaign and will soon meet with President Donald Trump about it, POLITICO first reported. Trump’s endorsement would be critical in the GOP primary, even though the state’s broader electorate thrice rejected him for president,” Politico said.

While Sununu definitely has a lot going for him, there’s one thing that could become a major stumbling block for his current political aspirations. He has been an outspoken critic of President Trump, having served as national co-chair for former Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s failed 2016 presidential campaign.

Sununu also backed U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for president in 2024. The former senator also wrote a scathing op-ed calling Trump a “loser” just ahead of the presidential primary in New Hampshire last year, which the president won by a whopping 11 points.

Political experts believe that if Sununu wishes to clinch a victory in the upcoming Senate race, he will need Trump on his side, and winning over the president will be no easy task.

Another challenge for Sununu is Scott Brown, who formerly represented Massachusetts before making the jump over to New Hampshire. Brown launched a bid for Senate in 2014 to oust Shaheen, but failed. Brown served as President Trump’s ambassador to New Zealand during his first term and is attempting to make a political comeback by positioning himself as the candidate more aligned with Trump’s platform.

Republican candidate state Sen. Dan Innis has already withdrawn from the race and endorsed Sununu. He’s urging Brown to follow suit.

“Anyone who thinks that a never Trump, corporate lobbyist who hasn’t won an election in a quarter century will resonate with today’s GOP primary voters is living in a different universe,” Brown went on to say in a statement.

“Early surveys also show him within striking distance of Pappas. The Democrat leads Sununu 49 percent to 43 percent in the UNH poll’s hypothetical general-election matchup; Pappas leads Brown by a wider margin of 52 percent to 37 percent. A survey from GOP-aligned co/efficient had Pappas leading Sununu by 3 percentage points and Brown by 10 points,” Politico reported.

Political analysts believe that the biggest deciding factor for this Senate race will be which of the two men can nab the support of President Trump. Whoever secures this endorsement will have the backing of the MAGA movement, which is crucial for a Republican win in New Hampshire.

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