New Hampshire U.S. Senate 2026
A sourced guide to the major-party nominees, ballot context and where official voting and results information will appear. This is not an endorsement or a forecast.
Our Final Call · Oct 29 projectionPappas (D) by 6Read why →The New Hampshire Senate race: history, data and the final week
Saint Anselm College’s survey fielded through October 20 reported Pappas 50% and Sununu 43% among likely voters. YouGov (fieldwork ending October 5) reported 51% to 43%. These are source-dated measurements from different polls, not a guaranteed election outcome; only reviewed originals belong in the dated aggregate.
How this state voted before
Jeanne Shaheen won this seat in 2020 by 15.6 percentage points. She is not running in 2026, creating a contest between two new nominees.
Historic vote shares are descriptions of previous electorates, not a projection of the 2026 outcome. Senate and presidential voters may make different choices.
Meet the candidates
Chris Pappas
Chris Pappas is a Democratic U.S. representative running for the Senate.
John E. Sununu
John Sununu is a former U.S. senator from New Hampshire and the Republican nominee.
Background: race and candidate reporting.
Issues and documented contrasts
Both major-party nominees have served in Congress, in different periods.
Compare polling populations and the state’s historically distinct presidential and Senate results.
Issue descriptions summarize publicly documented campaign positions and debates. See source reporting for full context, statements and responses.
Race timeline
Shaheen won reelection.
Open-seat nominees selected in the fall.
Saint Anselm poll completed fieldwork.
General election.
Polls and polling average
Every public poll of Chris Pappas vs. John E. Sununu we have tracked since Jan 19: 24 in all, 22 of them from independent pollsters that count toward the average. Updated October 31, 2026. Tap a dot for the poll’s details and source; switch to Margin for the clearest read on a phone. This is published polling, not a forecast.
Loading the interactive poll tracker… Every public poll we track for this race, newest first:
| Fielded | Pollster / source | Sample | Pappas (D) | Sununu (R) | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20–Oct 23 | Rasmussen Reports | 970 LV | 50 | 44 | D+6 |
| Oct 19–Oct 20 | Saint Anselm College | 1,672 LV | 50 | 43 | D+7 |
| Oct 2–Oct 19 | UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion / YouGov | 600 LV | 48 | 41 | D+7 |
| Oct 8–Oct 12 | NPA Polling (National Public Affairs) | 600 LV | 50 | 43 | D+7 |
| Sep 28–Oct 5 | YouGov | 1,520 LV | 51 | 43 | D+8 |
| Oct 2–Oct 4 | Rasmussen Reports | 979 LV | 49 | 44 | D+5 |
| Sep 28–Sep 29 | Saint Anselm College (NH Institute of Politics) | 1,042 LV | 51 | 44 | D+7 |
| Sep 26–Sep 27 | Trafalgar Group | 1,082 LV | 47.4 | 40.5 | D+6.9 |
| Sep 15–Sep 22 | New York Times/Siena College | 613 LV | 50 | 45 | D+5 |
| Sep 15–Sep 21 | University of New Hampshire | 1,418 LV | 50 | 42 | D+8 |
| Sep 16–Sep 17 | InsiderAdvantage | 1,200 LV | 48 | 40 | D+8 |
| Sep 9–Sep 11 | co/efficient | 958 LV | 46 | 46 | Tie |
| Sep 8–Sep 10 | Rasmussen Reports | 1,000 LV | 45 | 34 | D+11 |
| Aug 27–Aug 30 | Fabrizio, Lee & Associates Partisan | 600 LV | 36 | 37 | R+1 |
| Aug 20–Aug 24 | University of New Hampshire Survey Center | 1,878 LV | 43 | 45 | R+2 |
| Aug 17–Aug 18 | Saint Anselm College Survey Center | 1,411 LV | 48 | 41 | D+7 |
| Jun 24–Jun 27 | Peak Insights Partisan | 500 LV | 43 | 42 | D+1 |
| Jun 24–Jun 25 | Saint Anselm College Survey Center | 1,614 RV | 47 | 41 | D+6 |
| Jun 18–Jun 23 | University of New Hampshire Survey Center | 2,232 LV | 47 | 44 | D+3 |
| Apr 17–Apr 21 | University of New Hampshire Survey Center | 1,129 LV | 49 | 42 | D+7 |
| Mar 21–Mar 23 | Emerson College | 1,000 LV | 45 | 44 | D+1 |
| Mar 16–Mar 18 | Saint Anselm College Survey Center | 1,491 RV | 46 | 43 | D+3 |
| Jan 28–Jan 29 | yes. every kid. | 563 LV | 45 | 41 | D+4 |
| Jan 15–Jan 19 | University of New Hampshire Survey Center | 2,053 LV | 50 | 45 | D+5 |
Final-week research notes
Saint Anselm College’s survey fielded through October 20 reported Pappas 50% and Sununu 43% among likely voters. YouGov (fieldwork ending October 5) reported 51% to 43%. These are source-dated measurements from different polls, not a guaranteed election outcome; only reviewed originals belong in the dated aggregate.
Polls measure surveyed respondents during specific field dates. Reported differences can reflect sampling, questionnaire design, sponsors or voter screens. They do not determine the November 3 outcome.
Source notebook
Selected sources for the editorial context and poll references. Survey source links also appear in the table and chart. Reviewed 2026-10-26.
Corrections welcome: corrections@electiontracker.live. This is independent informational coverage and does not endorse or forecast a candidate.
Race background
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is not seeking another term. Rep. Chris Pappas and former Sen. John Sununu are the major-party nominees. The final ballot also includes Edmond Laplante of the Constitution Party.
What to watch on November 3
Poll closing times are set by municipalities and may differ. Use the official New Hampshire Secretary of State election listing for local details.
Reading a race call: Preliminary totals are unofficial. Media projections must name the projecting outlet; certification comes from authorized election officials.
Sources and election resources
Nominee and contextual information checked October 26, 2026. Follow these primary and independent resources to confirm changes after this review date.
Related coverage
ElectionTracker analysis of this race (check the article date) · Election-week update log · Official voting tools.
Any ballot or nomination change after October 26 should be checked against the state election authority before being reflected on this page.