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US Politics

Democrat Chris Pappas wins New Hampshire Senate race, defeating Republican John Sununu

Pappas, a four-term congressman, becomes the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate, and Sununu concedes.

18 news outlets reported this
Liberal8 outletsA Democratic hold and a check on TrumpCenter3 outletsPappas wins, defending a key Senate seatConservative7 outletsDemocrats' milestone and a setback for Republicans
Published 3 min read
Overview

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's US race on Tuesday, defeating Republican John Sununu, a former senator. The Associated Press called the race in the evening, and Sununu conceded at a gathering of supporters in Manchester, saying "it is not our night." Pappas, 46, a four-term congressman, will replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

The seat stays in Democratic hands. Pappas becomes the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate. Republicans had seen the seat as a pickup opportunity, and the race is one of several that will help decide which party controls the Senate.

Sununu, who is the son and brother of former governors and lost this seat to Shaheen in 2008, was endorsed by President Trump. He tried to put distance between himself and Trump. Pappas ran as a check on the Trump administration and pointed to the war in Iran.

Early returns cited by Axios showed Pappas ahead 61% to 38% with 20% of votes counted.

Key figures
  • 61% to 38% Pappas over Sununu with 20% of votes counted, per Axios — Axios
  • 60% Pappas's vote share against Sununu's 37% with 22% of precincts reported, per The Center Square citing AP — The Center Square
  • more than $23 million raised by Pappas against Sununu's $5.7 million, per The Center Square — The Center Square
  • 32 percent Trump's approval rating in New Hampshire, per the Boston Globe — The Boston Globe

Three sides of the story

Liberal8 outlets

A Democratic hold and a check on Trump

The Guardian reports that Pappas protected the open seat from a Republican flip, and says his campaign cast itself against the Trump administration, which the paper calls unpopular in New Hampshire. CBS News projects the win and writes that Sununu's effort to keep his distance from the president fell short against "strong headwinds for Republicans." Axios, citing AP, leads on Democrats beating back the challenge and says the win could boost the party's chances of taking the Senate.

Its bottom line is that the result reflects a preference voters expressed in pre-election polling for a check on Trump's power. The Boston Globe's headline is Sununu's concession, and its report opens with Pappas defeating Sununu before turning to the election-night party, quoting Sununu: "This has been an incredible campaign." It adds that Trump's approval rating in the state is 32 percent and that much of the race centered on Trump.

Center3 outlets

Pappas wins, defending a key Senate seat

The Seattle Times reports that Pappas won Tuesday's election and defeated Sununu. It describes the race as one of a handful that will help decide which party controls the Senate. It notes Pappas will replace Shaheen, who chose not to seek reelection, and that the Associated Press declared him the winner at 8:20 p.m. EST.

Conservative7 outlets

Democrats' milestone and a setback for Republicans

The Post Millennial opens by saying Democrats "heralded" a Senate milestone, puts "openly" in quote marks, and quotes Pappas saying he is "not running to make history." It also describes allegations against the late Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham that it says Democratic activists pushed. The Center Square reports that Pappas keeps the seat blue, calls the race "contentious," and gives shares of 60% to 37%.

It also lays out the money: Pappas raised more than $23 million against Sununu's $5.7 million, while Sununu's supporters outspent pro-Pappas groups by almost 2-1. It quotes Sununu saying Pappas "hasn't gotten the job done." The Washington Examiner calls the result a setback for Republicans and says Sununu stayed competitive through his centrist streak and family name.

It quotes his concession remarks. The Epoch Times focuses on the candidates' histories, polling that showed Pappas at about 50 percent to Sununu's 43 percent as of Oct. 30, and voters and local candidates it interviewed.

Where outlets disagree
All sources: 21 articles from 18 outlets

Liberal (11)

Center (3)

Conservative (7)

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