NAIROBI, Kenya – Democrat Chris Pappas has made history after defeating Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire’s Senate election, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the United States Senate.
The four-term congressman secured victory in Tuesday’s closely watched contest, preserving a Democratic-held seat that Republicans had hoped to capture as they fought to maintain their majority in the upper chamber.
Sununu, a former senator who represented New Hampshire from 2003 to 2009, conceded shortly after polls closed, with about 20 per cent of the vote counted.
Pappas, 46, will succeed retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen when the new Senate takes office in January 2027.
His election marks a significant milestone in American political representation. While Democrat Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay person elected to the Senate in 2012, Pappas is the first openly gay man to win election to the chamber.
The New Hampshire result also denied Republicans a major opportunity to flip a seat in a state where the contest had become increasingly competitive in the final weeks of the campaign.
Pappas Cast Himself as a Check on Trump
Pappas built his campaign around the argument that voters needed a senator prepared to challenge U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
He portrayed Sununu as a candidate who would ultimately support the president’s agenda despite presenting himself as an independent-minded Republican.
The Democrat highlighted issues including healthcare cuts, tariffs, the war involving Iran and the influence of wealthy donors and corporate interests in Washington.
In his victory remarks, Pappas described the result as a rejection of political leaders and policies that he argued had failed ordinary Americans.
He also thanked Sununu for conceding the race, while pledging to fight for reproductive rights and oppose the expansion of immigration detention facilities and data centres in New Hampshire.
The campaign attracted significant national attention, with outside groups and prominent political figures pouring money into the contest as both parties recognised its potential impact on control of the Senate.
A Former Atlanta Mayor’s Son? No – Pappas Built His Own Political Career
Pappas has represented New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District since 2019, building a reputation as a centrist Democrat willing to break with his party on some major legislative questions.
He has served on the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and has at times supported legislation opposed by sections of the Democratic Party, including the Laken Riley Act.
His political approach helped him appeal to moderate voters in a state where independence from national party politics is an important campaign theme.
Sununu, meanwhile, sought to use his family’s long political history in New Hampshire and his own experience in the Senate to challenge Pappas.
Although endorsed by Trump, the Republican attempted to distance himself from the president on several issues, including the war in Iran and US policy towards Ukraine.
However, Pappas repeatedly argued that Sununu would not provide a meaningful check on the administration if elected.
What the Result Means for Democrats
The victory keeps Jeanne Shaheen’s seat in Democratic hands and gives the party an important result in its wider campaign to regain control of the Senate.
Republicans entered the midterms with a 53-47 advantage, making several competitive races critical to the final balance of power.
Pappas’s win, alongside Democratic victories in other closely watched contests, improves the party’s prospects, although the outcome of the broader Senate battle depends on results from the remaining states.
Beyond the immediate political implications, his election adds another milestone to the representation of LGBTQ Americans in the highest levels of US government.
