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New Hampshire voters head to the polls Tuesday in primaries that carry significant stakes for both major parties, testing the strength of President Donald Trump’s endorsements while progressive Democrats push to extend a strong primary season. The Granite State is among the final states to select nominees ahead of November’s general elections, and Tuesday’s results will determine the lineup in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests.
Senate Race Sets Up a Competitive Fall Battle
The retirement of Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen created an open Senate seat that both parties see as winnable. On the Democratic side, Rep. Chris Pappas enters the primary as the clear front-runner. He has held a competitive congressional seat since 2018 and has already shifted his focus toward the general election, running ads targeting potential Republican opponents and centering his message on the cost of living and political corruption.
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Pappas faces a challenge from the left, however. Karishma Manzur, a scientist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, supports policies including “Medicare for All” and has sharply criticized Pappas over his support for Israel, accusing him of “enabling genocide.”
The Republican primary features several candidates, but the contest comes down largely to two former senators. Trump has endorsed John Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the Senate from 2003 to 2008 before losing his re-election bid to Shaheen. Sununu also carries the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. His family name adds further political weight — both his father and brother served as governor of the state.
Sununu’s main competition comes from Scott Brown, a former Massachusetts senator who later ran unsuccessfully for the New Hampshire Senate in 2014 and served as Trump’s ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during the president’s first term. Despite Brown’s ties to Trump, the president chose Sununu. Republicans are optimistic about the general election after Trump lost New Hampshire by just three points in 2024. The party has not won a Senate seat there since 2010, though the state does have a Republican governor in Kelly Ayotte.
Ayotte, who took office in January 2025, faces no significant primary opposition as she seeks a second two-year term. Her likely Democratic opponent is Cinde Warmington, a former New Hampshire Executive Council member who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2024 and also faces no major challengers.
Democrats Divided in Open House Seat Contest
The departure of Pappas from New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District — which includes Manchester, the state’s largest city — has triggered a crowded and competitive Democratic primary. The district could be a battleground in November. Pappas won re-election there by eight points in 2024, but then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried it by only two points.
Two candidates are considered the most establishment-aligned Democrats in the race. Maura Sullivan, a Marine veteran and former Defense Department official, previously ran for Congress. Stefany Shaheen, a health advocate and former Portsmouth City councilwoman, is the daughter of the retiring senator. Over the weekend, progressive Army National Guard officer Christian Urrutia ended his campaign and endorsed Shaheen.
Progressive union organizer Carleigh Beriont is also a top contender. Heath Howard, backed by the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter, dropped out of the race and endorsed Beriont, though his name remains on the ballot.
On the Republican side, Trump and other party leaders have endorsed auto businessman Anthony DiLorenzo. He faces competition from state Rep. Brian Cole and Hollie Noveletsky, a military veteran and CEO of her family’s iron company.
Incumbent Faces Long-Shot Progressive Challenge in 2nd District
In New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District, first-term Democratic Rep. Maggie Goodlander faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Paige Beauchemin, a former nurse who entered politics in 2023. Beauchemin is running as an unapologetic progressive, calling for halting data center construction, new regulations on artificial intelligence, “Medicare for All,” labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide,” and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Despite tapping into progressive energy that has helped other challengers defeat incumbents this cycle, Beauchemin has struggled to build a competitive campaign. She raised just $44,000 compared to Goodlander’s $4.2 million, and no major outside progressive organizations have stepped in to support her.
Goodlander recently gained national attention after joining other national security-focused Democratic lawmakers in a video stating that military members could refuse illegal orders. She previously worked in the Biden White House and Justice Department and is married to former Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
On the Republican side, Lily Tang Williams — a former Colorado libertarian who relocated to New Hampshire — is expected to secure the GOP nomination. She lost to Goodlander in 2024 and is set for a rematch in November. Polls in New Hampshire close between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET, depending on the municipality.
