Overview
- John E. Sununu is running a retail, town-by-town campaign that stresses his independence from the president and leans on family name recognition as he tries to regain his former Senate seat.
- RealClearPolitics polling averages show Sununu trailing Rep. Chris Pappas by mid-single digits in the final week before the election, leaving the contest narrowly competitive but favoring the Democrat.
- Pappas has drawn high-profile Democratic surrogates and substantial national outside spending to his side, while GOP groups have poured money into Sununu’s effort in the closing stretch.
- The campaign has featured a dispute over yard signs that read “Sununu Senator,” which Pappas says could mislead voters into thinking former governor Chris Sununu is the candidate and has raised questions about tactical messaging.
- Longer-term factors shaping the race include New Hampshire’s recent federal voting patterns, a modest population rise concentrated in the south, and the importance of independent and older voter turnout to determine the final result.