New Hampshire Republicans Choose Between Two Former Senators in Final Primary Stretch

Two former senators lead an eight-person field

New Hampshire Republicans vote Tuesday in an eight-candidate primary whose best-known contenders have both served in the U.S. Senate. John E. Sununu represented New Hampshire from 2003 through 2009. Scott Brown represented Massachusetts from 2010 through 2013 before moving to New Hampshire and later serving as a U.S. ambassador.

The contest selects the Republican nominee for an open seat. It does not immediately fill the office. The winner advances to November to face the Democratic nominee and any qualifying minor-party or independent candidates, making claims that the primary alone decides Senate control premature.

Unaffiliated voters have a role

New Hampshire allows voters registered with a party to take that party's primary ballot. Voters registered as undeclared may choose either party's ballot, according to the secretary of state's guidance. Anyone who wants to remain undeclared should follow the state's post-voting procedure rather than assume registration automatically reverts.

Polling hours and ballot styles can vary by municipality. The official sample-ballot portal and local election notices are more reliable than campaign graphics, while absentee voters must follow the state's eligibility and return rules.

What the result will show

The result will measure support among people who participate in one party's election, not the preferences of every New Hampshire voter. Turnout and participation by undeclared voters can produce an electorate different from November's.

Election-night projections and concession speeches are politically meaningful, but certification supplies the formal statewide record. Responsible coverage should identify preliminary totals as unofficial and update them when the secretary of state completes the official count.

Limits and what to watch

Polling and campaign claims cannot establish the result, and Tuesday's winner still must compete in the November general election.

The next development to watch is certified primary returns and the resulting general-election matchup.

What’s the Scoop With Broach will keep this report tied to dated records and named sources. Coverage of New Hampshire's September 8 Republican primary for the open U.S. Senate seat should change only when new evidence changes the verified account. For New Hampshire voters and Americans following control of the Senate, that means future updates will identify the issuing institution, explain what is newly established and preserve any uncertainty that remains. Readers can use the source list below to inspect the underlying material and distinguish this newsroom’s synthesis from the official documents and independently reported facts on which it relies.