New Hampshire GOP Senate nominee John Sununu says he has "never even met" Trump in new TV ad distancing himself from president
Republican Senate nominee John Sununu released a new TV ad distancing himself from President Donald Trump in the New Hampshire Senate race, stating: "The way Chris Pappas tells it, I'm President Trump's long-lost son. I've never even met the man." Sununu holds Trump's endorsement but has positioned himself as independent on several issues, including opposing the war in Iran. He is challenging Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas for the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who did not seek reelection.
Two sources · Thin corroboration
John Sununu, the Republican Senate nominee in New Hampshire, released a TV ad this week invoking his Democratic opponent Chris Pappas by name to rebuff attacks linking him to President Donald Trump. "The way Chris Pappas tells it, I'm President Trump's long-lost son. I've never even met the man," Sununu says in the spot. Trump endorsed Sununu in February.
The ad is part of a broader effort by Sununu to brand himself as a "New Hampshire independent." He highlights his opposition to the war in Iran — a break from the president — as evidence that he would not simply follow the White House line. Pappas has run ads accusing Sununu of being "in lockstep" with Trump, making the distancing move a direct counter to that Democratic line of attack.
Trump, for his part, has allowed Sununu room to operate, keeping his own distance from the New Hampshire contest even while endorsing him. CNN reported that Trump has been campaigning overwhelmingly in red states that voted for him by double digits in 2024, with his current swing focused on North Carolina and Kansas rather than the competitive New England race.