Chris Pappas makes history as first openly gay man elected to US Senate

Chris Pappas has made history as the first gay man to be elected to the US Senate, after Republican former Senator John E. Sununu conceded defeat in New Hampshire. According to Decision Desk HQ, with 22% of votes counted at around 8 pm Eastern on Tuesday, Pappas led Sununu 60% to 37%.

“Tonight’s results are a wake-up call for corporate special interests and billionaires who have been rigging the economy, for the cowards in Congress who have enabled healthcare cuts, tariffs and war,” Pappas said during his victory speech. “And for the incompetent president who can’t even be bothered to care how people are being hurt.”

Pappas will succeed retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Republican Sununu held the seat from 2003 to 2008, when Democrat Shaheen flipped the seat and held it for three consecutive terms before her retirement. The GOP hasn't won in the state at the presidential level since 2000, but they have controlled the governor position since 2017. With Sununu, GOP was expecting to flip the seat as he had distanced himself from Trump.

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“To me, I’ve never sought to make history,” said Pappas.

46-year-old Chris Pappas also became the first LGBTQ+ US representative in 2019. He represented New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District in the House for four terms. He was a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and served as a co-chair for the Congressional Equality Caucus. He supported the Equality Act, legislation to prohibit the gay and transgender “panic” defence, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ veterans. His LGBTQ+ identity faced scrutiny after Pappas voted in favour of the 2024 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), which restricted TRICARE coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender minors.