Republican John Sununu and Democrat Chris Pappas have secured their party nominations for the New Hampshire Senate race following Tuesday's primary elections.

Former Republican Sen. John Sununu and Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas won their respective primaries on Tuesday night, setting up a competitive general election race for a New Hampshire Senate seat. NBC News projects both candidates as the winners of their party contests. The race is considered a potential factor in the battle for control of the Senate majority in November.

Primary Election Results

Rep. Chris Pappas defeated scientist Karishma Manzur, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, in the Democratic primary. With approximately one-fifth of the vote counted, Pappas led 62% to 36%. On the Republican side, John Sununu defeated former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who served as an ambassador during Donald Trump’s first term. Sununu held 70% of the vote compared to Brown's 25% with about one-sixth of the vote counted.

Background and Campaign Strategies

John Sununu previously served in the House and represented New Hampshire in the Senate from 2003 to 2008, when he lost his re-election bid to retiring Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. Chris Pappas was first elected to the House in 2018. Both parties have already initiated attack advertisements; Pappas has criticized Sununu’s past work for the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, while the GOP-aligned nonprofit One Nation has released an ad targeting Pappas over his support for a 2021 climate and social safety net measure.