John E. Sununu publicly disagreed with his brother's recent assertion that the New Hampshire Senate race would be a landslide if voters believed the former governor was on the ballot. The comments came after Chris Sununu, the former Granite State governor, speculated in a CNN interview that his brother would be leading by a wide margin under such a scenario.
The friction began when Democratic nominee Rep. Chris Pappas accused his Republican opponent of omitting his first name from campaign materials to capitalize on the Sununu family name's popularity. Pappas suggested voters might confuse the Senate hopeful with his more famous brother, who served four terms as governor.
When asked about the remark by Fox News's Paul Steinhauser on Tuesday, John Sununu responded, "I love my brother, but he's totally wrong." He emphasized the race's competitiveness, noting that "no one thought would be in play a year ago" and calling it a "toss-up right now."
Sununu credited his campaign's grassroots approach for the tight contest. "That's just a testament of our campaign going town to town, person to person, focusing on the right issues: bring down the cost of living, affordability, job creation," he said.
The Senate race has tightened significantly. The Cook Political Report recently shifted its rating from "toss-up" to "leans Democratic" after Pappas gained a polling edge. A Saint Anselm College survey released last week showed Pappas ahead by 7 points, while a GOP-sponsored National Public Affairs poll had him up by 5.
The Sununu family has long been a political dynasty in New Hampshire, with John's father, John H. Sununu, serving as governor and White House chief of staff. This race is part of a broader pattern of post-election legal battles that Democrats are preparing for in key states, though the campaign itself remains focused on local issues.
Chris Sununu, now president and CEO of Airlines for America, told CNN he is "not involved at all" in his brother's campaign but remains supportive. "We all believe in service, but you got to do it on your own," he said. "You got to stand on your own two feet. And I'm incredibly supportive, I'd do anything he asked me to, but he knows and I know that you've got to run your own race."
The race is one of several competitive contests that could determine control of the Senate. While national Democrats have been cautioned against impeachment pushes that might distract from key campaigns, the Granite State race remains a focal point for both parties. As the election nears, both candidates are expected to intensify their efforts to sway undecided voters.
