Chris Pappas Leads New Hampshire Senate Race in Latest Poll

The open U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire—vacated by retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D)—is currently contested between Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas and Republican nominee John E. Sununu. Both candidates secured decisive victories in their respective primaries last month and will face each other in the November election.

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A survey conducted by the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIP) and commissioned by AARP sampled 1,042 likely voters in late September. The poll shows Pappas holding a 7-point lead over Sununu among likely voters overall, with a narrower 1-point edge among voters aged 50 and older. The margin of error is approximately 3 percentage points. Earlier surveys released in the month also favored Pappas, with a 5-point advantage in a New York Times/Siena University poll and an 8-point advantage in a University of New Hampshire poll.

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• Chris Pappas – Democratic U.S. Representative from New Hampshire’s 1st district since 2019; member of the Problem Solvers Caucus since 2023.

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• John E. Sununu – Republican former U.S. Representative and former state senator; previously served in both chambers of Congress and lost his 2008 Senate bid to Shaheen. He is related to former governors John H. Sununu and Chris Sununu.

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AARP’s New Hampshire state director, Christina FitzPatrick, stressed that older voters are a pivotal demographic. She urged both candidates to articulate concrete plans for protecting and strengthening Social Security, emphasizing the need for policies that allow seniors to “age with dignity and purpose.”

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• “With affordability a top concern for New Hampshire residents this year, candidates should tell voters how they will protect and strengthen Social Security and ensure that everyone is able to age with dignity and purpose,” — Christina FitzPatrick

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