Election Central

Pappas and Sununu Prevail in Primaries, Setting Up Expensive Fight for U.S. Senate

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by Ethan DeWitt and Maya Mitchell, New Hampshire Bulletin
September 8, 2026

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas will face off in November against Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu to be U.S. senator, after the two candidates prevailed in their respective primaries Tuesday. The results, projected by the Associated Press shortly after 8 p.m., solidified what will likely be a bare-knuckled, expensive general election fight for the Senate seat, which is open after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her retirement. Polls suggest the contest between Pappas, the current representative for the 1st Congressional District, and Sununu could be close, and both candidates had been positioning themselves for the general election months before the primary. As the polling has tightened, the race has taken on increasing significance to Democrats’ chances to flip control of the U.S. Senate, with Pappas’s shrinking advantage drawing national attention. In winning his primary, Sununu held off a challenge from Scott Brown, the former U.S. senator from Massachusetts who has since moved to New Hampshire, after Brown attempted to align himself with President Donald Trump and run to Sununu’s right.

Election Central

On Primary Day, Will New Hampshire Democrats and Republicans Stick To Playbooks?

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by Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin
September 8, 2026

In 2006, Carol Shea-Porter stunned the New Hampshire Democratic establishment, defeating a well-funded, party-backed opponent, Jim Craig, in the primary and then ousting Republican Jeb Bradley in the 1st Congressional District. And she did it with a progressive platform. “There was a sense of: We don’t want Washington coming here and telling us what to do,” recalled Kathy Sullivan, the New Hampshire Democratic Party chairwoman at the time. Twenty years later, some progressive Democrats are hoping to replay that victory in New Hampshire’s state primary. And they can point to uncanny parallels.

Election Central

Reyes to Succeed Paulino as State Rep.; Faces No Challenger in Nov.

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Democrat Celina A. Reyes of Lawrence knocked out incumbent state Rep. Francisco E. Paulino in a landslide and is the only challenger from Tuesday’s primary elections not facing competition this fall. Reyes, an at-large Lawrence City Councilor Reyes managed to oust Paulino a week after he was arrested and indicted for alleged pandemic aid fraud. Paulino has since pleaded not guilty to all 11 counts brought against him. Reyes received 1,196 votes, or 65.9% of the unofficial vote to win the 16th Essex seat, while Paulino garnered 619 votes or 34.1%. The district covers parts of Methuen and Lawrence.

Election Central

Local Voters Echo Counterparts with Choices in Few Contested Elections

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(See vote counts in contested races.)

While there were only a few contested races in Tuesday’s primary election, Haverhill voters mirrored their counterparts elsewhere when making choices. Haverhill voters agreed with the majority in choosing incumbent Sen. Edward J. Markey, giving him 4,430 votes to rival Congressman Seth Moulton’s 2,296 in unofficial Democratic primary results. Markey will now face Republican John Deaton in the final election Tuesday, Nov. 3. Likewise, in the Republican gubernatorial race, Haverhill voters in that primary chose Michael Minogue 2,315 to challenger Brian Shortsleeve’s 526.

Election Central

US Sen. Markey Wins Democratic Primary Over Opponent Who Called for Change

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By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts secured the Democratic nomination in his bid for a third term in office Tuesday, fighting off a challenger who argued that it was time for a generational change. Markey, 80, defeated U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, 47, in the Senate primary. Moulton told voters it was time to do away with the “status quo.” Markey pointed to Moulton’s more moderate positions to argue that it was Moulton — not the older incumbent — who was out of touch with the state’s voters. Markey has boasted about his 2022 climate bill and called for an end to the war in Iran to bring down energy costs. In heavily Democratic Massachusetts, the primary is considered the most critical election hurdle.

Election Central

Primary Election Day Focus on Regional Races; Most Local Races Uncontested

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Greater Haverhill voters who did not take part in in-person early voting or vote-by-mail options have a chance to take part Tuesday in a primary election where most attention will be on a contested U.S. Senate election and one or two regional state House races. Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright Esposito said late Monday afternoon the city has already experienced an 8% turnout through early or mail voting options and she expects in-person voting to bring the total to 12 or 14% of registered voters taking part. She explained 595 people cast ballots during early voting and 3,918 voted by mail. “If you have the ability to use our drop box or bring it (inside) to City Hall, that’s a sure-fire way to make sure it gets back to us,” Wright Esposito told WHAV. The races garnering the most attention are Congressman Seth Moulten’s challenge to incumbent Sen. Edward J. Markey and the battle among of, what are now, five Democratic contenders to replace Moulton in the 6th District congressional race.

Election Central

Democratic City Committee Straw Poll Puts Markey on Top, Approves Most Questions

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If Haverhill Democrats, taking part in an informal straw poll last Saturday, are any indication, incumbent U.S. Edward J. Markey will take 60% of the primary vote Tuesday against opponent 6th District Congressman Seth Moulton at 40%. The unscientific results came from those attending and casting ballots at Saturday’s Democratic City Committee’s annual Roz McKeon Breakfast and also looked ahead to November’s final election. The results found most of the nine ballot questions will pass. They pointedly showed opposition, however, to three questions. They said no to all-party primary elections, 73% to 27%; no changing the current method of calculating the state’s tax revenue limit, 55-45%; and no to a law to repealing the retail sale of adult recreational use marijuana, 78-22%.