Staff Reports
President Donald Trump has inserted himself directly into the New Hampshire GOP Senate primary, endorsing John E. Sununu and trying to turn a local contest into another test of his kingmaker power. With the primary set for next week, the White House and Republican operatives are betting the endorsement will finish off former Sen. Scott Brown and produce a nominee they think can flip an open Senate seat this fall.
Why Trump picked John E. Sununu
The endorsement is not random. John E. Sununu carries a famous Granite State name and has the Republican establishment lined up behind him. That matters in New Hampshire, where local ties often beat flashy national resumes. President Donald Trump praised Sununu on social media, saying, “John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.” Translation: the White House thinks Sununu gives Republicans their best shot against Rep. Chris Pappas in November.
Polls show Sununu leading, but the general election looks close
Recent UNH polling shows Sununu with roughly 60% in the GOP primary versus about 20% for Scott Brown — a huge lead among likely Republican voters. But the same poll finds a tight matchup with Rep. Chris Pappas in a hypothetical general election, roughly 45% to 43%. In short: Sununu looks dominant in the primary, but flipping this open seat held by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen will still be a fight in November.
Scott Brown’s outsider pitch and the primary test
Scott Brown is running as a grassroots alternative and lean-on-no-one kind of candidate, trading on his old Senate name and ambassadorial stint. That narrative can work in a vacuum. But against a Sununu with both the family brand and a presidential endorsement, Brown faces an uphill climb. Republicans who want a clear shot to win the seat this fall are deciding whether to play the long game and back a candidate who looks more electable statewide than the outsider appeal Brown offers.
What this all means for Republicans and the fall
The bigger picture is simple: this is an open seat and a pick-up target. Trump’s endorsement streak — warmed up by a recent victory in South Carolina — gives GOP voters a cue, and Sununu’s lead suggests that cue is working. Still, New Hampshire voters are famously independent, and a general election here will be tight. If Republicans want to win in November, they need to turn the primary momentum into unified turnout, not another intra-party scrap that hands Democrats a lifeline. Call it what you will — a test of Trump’s influence or just practical politics — but for now the president is betting his endorsement will be the difference. If it isn’t, expect a very noisy explanation tour from both sides.
