Former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu of New Hampshire is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on Sept.15, 2025 in Rye, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News Digital)
"I want to thank the President for his support and thank the thousands of Granite Staters who are supporting me," Sununu said after landing Trump's endorsement.
The endorsement will further boost Sununu, who enjoys a polling and fundraising advantage over Brown.
After Trump's endorsement, the Senate Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, said on X that "John Sununu is the clear choice to be New Hampshire's next US Senator, and President Trump's critical endorsement has put an end to the primary."
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But Brown, as of now, has no intentions of dropping out.
"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," he said in a statement.
And apparently questioning Sununu's MAGA credentials, he added, "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."
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, seen speaking at a press conference in Washington, DC on November 9, 2025, is retiring at the end of this year. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Some in New Hampshire's MAGA base immediately rejected the president's endorsement of Sununu, calling it a "slap in the face to grassroots supporters" who have long backed Trump.
"The Sununu family openly mocked, degraded, and worked against the America First movement, the President himself, and the policies that energized New Hampshire voters," a group of MAGA activists posted on X. "We will continue and intensify our campaign opposition to the Sununu operation."
Brown formally launched his Senate campaign in June, after over six months of reaching out to grassroots supporters in the state. He raised roughly $1 million during his first three months as a candidate.
Sununu jumped into the race in late October, with the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which is the Senate GOP's campaign arm.
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NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott said at the time that Senate Republicans were "all-in" for Sununu.
Since then, Sununu has landed the backing of a majority of the Republicans in the Senate, as well as from GOP leaders in New Hampshire.
The seat in New Hampshire, along with an open Democrat-held seat in Michigan are two of the NRSC's top targets this year as they aim to expand their 53-47 majority in the chamber. Georgia, where the GOP views Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff as very vulnerable, is the NRSC's other top target.
Sununu more than doubled Brown's fundraising haul during the past three months, and the latest public opinion polls in New Hampshire indicate Sununu with a double-digit lead over Brown in the GOP primary, which won't be held until September.
Democratic Senate candidate in New Hampshire, Rep. Chris Pappas, is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on July 4, 2025, in Portsmouth, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser - Fox News)
Pappas, a four-term congressman who represents the eastern half of the state, outraised both Sununu and Brown combined during the 4th quarter of 2025 fundraising.
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And the latest polls indicate Pappas topping Sununu by single digits and Brown by double digits in hypothetical general election matchups.
Pappas is the clear front-runner for his party's nomination, in a race that also includes Karishma Manzur, a member of the New Hampshire Democratic Party's rules committee.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-backs-former-critic-sununu-high-stakes-swing-state-senate-race