New Hampshire Union Leader
Kevin Landrigan | 2/2/26
Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown said he remained committed to winning a U.S. Senate GOP primary this fall despite President Donald Trump endorsing primary rival John E. Sununu over the weekend.
“I’ve always believed that the people of New Hampshire are the ultimate authority on our future, and they deserve a choice between candidates seeking to earn their support,” Brown said in a statement he posted after Trump’s own social media declaration.
Right after Trump said he’s backing Sununu, the Senate Leadership Fund led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said, “President Trump’s critical endorsement has put an end to the primary”.
Brown remains convinced he’ll win this battle of two former U.S. senators, John E. Sununu representing New Hampshire from 2003-09, and Brown serving as senator in Massachusetts from 2010-13.
“I am running to ensure our America First agenda is led by someone who views this mission not as a career path, but as a continuation of a lifelong commitment to service,” Brown said in a statement Sunday. “My priorities for New Hampshire remain clear: a stronger economy, a secure border, reliable and affordable energy and better health care for our veterans. This mission has always been about you, not me. Let’s keep working!”.
The race to replacing retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., is a top priority for national Republicans seeking to expand their Senate majority. John E. Sununu beat Shaheen to win a Senate seat in 2002 and lost to her six years later. Brown was the GOP nominee running against Shaheen when she won her second term in 2014.
Trump has gotten over Sununu snubs
Trump had called Sununu an “America First Patriot” and apparently has gotten over their rocky relations that included Sununu calling Trump “a loser” and endorsing 2024 primary rival Nikki Haley over Trump prior to the presidential primary here. Back in 2016, John E. Sununu had a national role in the rival presidential campaign of former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who finished second to Trump in that New Hampshire primary contest.
“John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN — ELECT JOHN E. SUNUNU,” Trump emphasized, in a post on social media.
The move by Trump came two weeks after Sununu confirmed he had raised $1.7 million since getting into this race last October, more than twice what Brown collected over the same period.
“I want to thank the President for his support and thank the thousands of Granite Staters who are supporting me,” Sununu said in his own statement. Both Brown and Sununu continue to trail four-term U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., the frontrunning Democratic candidate who raised $2.4 million during the last quarter. Karishma Manzur, a medical scientist from Exeter, and Rep. Jared Sullivan of Bethlehem are also seeking the Democratic primary nomination.
Americans for Prosperity Action, the political committee for the fiscally conservative interest group which endorsed Sununu, announced it would begin airing its first digital ads in support of their candidate tomorrow morning on digital and streaming platforms.
“New Hampshire face a pivotal moment that will reshape the state’s future. As Granite State families are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living, Sununu offers steady leadership and will advance meaningful reforms to rein in federal spending, strengthen New Hampshire’s economy, and drive down prices so that all Granite State families can prosper,” AFP Action said in a statement.
The 30– and 15-second spots will run through the end of this month, AFP officials said.
The ads highlight Sununu’s platform to work on lowering costs, cutting regulations and stopping federal tax hikes.
“He’s delivered for New Hampshire families before and he’ll deliver again in the Senate. Elect John Sununu,” the ad concludes.
According to the latest independent polling, Pappas leads Sununu by a small margin in a head-to-head matchup and by a larger margin over Brown.
