Democratic Representative Leads Republican in New Hampshire Senate Race Polling
A new survey commissioned by AARP shows Democratic Representative Chris Pappas leading Republican nominee John Sununu by seven percentage points in New Hampshire's open U.S. Senate race. The poll measured likely voters' preferences in the contest for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Pappas, who has served in the House since 2019, faces Sununu, a former congressman who previously lost a Senate race to Shaheen in 2008.
The survey of over 1,000 likely voters was conducted in late September by the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College and funded by the AARP organization. Pappas secured 51 percent support compared to Sununu's 44 percent, with a small portion of respondents undecided or favoring other candidates. The seven-point margin provides a snapshot of voter sentiment roughly one month before the general election.
Sununu brings substantial congressional experience to the race, having served multiple terms in the House and Senate during the 2000s before his unsuccessful 2008 Senate bid against Shaheen. By contrast, Pappas has focused on House service since 2019 and participates in the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, emphasizing collaborative legislative work. The open seat emerges as Shaheen concludes her Senate tenure.
The polling results could influence campaign strategies, fundraising decisions, and national party resource allocation heading into the final weeks before voting. Voters in New Hampshire may see shifts in candidate advertising and messaging intensity based on these figures. The outcome of this Senate race could affect the chamber's partisan balance and policy direction on issues ranging from healthcare to economic policy, potentially impacting constituents nationwide depending on the final result.