Candidate for U.S. Senate
John E. Sununu
Republican
Sununu is a Republican and engineer who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House from 1997 to 2003 and the U.S. Senate from 2003 to 2009, and later worked in business and on corporate boards. He is seeking the seat he lost in 2008. His campaign centers on the economy and affordability, congressional accountability measures such as term limits, and what he calls an independent, practical approach.
- Current or most recent role
- Former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire (2003–2009)
- Hometown
- Rye
- Campaign website
- sununusenator.com
Why they say you should vote for them
The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.
- Says he will be "laser-focused on the economy, jobs, and making life more affordable."[4],[5]
- Says Congress has become "loud, dysfunctional, even angry" and presents himself as someone who can "lower the temperature."[3]
- Describes himself as "independent, practical, and results-oriented," citing his engineering and private-sector background.[1]
- Says he will "clean up Washington and hold politicians in both parties accountable."[4]
- Points to his record in Congress of opposing tax increases and writing the law banning taxes on internet access.[2]
Background
- Director; board chairman; college instructor, Boston Scientific (director), Waterville Valley Ski Resort (chairman), St. Anselm College (taught) · After 2009 (dates not listed)[2]
- Adjunct senior policy advisor, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (law and lobbying firm) · Joined 2010[9]
- U.S. Senator, U.S. Senate · 2003–2009[10],[3]
- U.S. Representative, New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives · 1997–2003[10],[3]
- Ran operations at an electronics company in Manchester, Private sector (high tech, engineering, consulting and manufacturing) · Before 1997[2]
Education
Where they stand
- Economy & JobsSays he will focus on "the economy, jobs, our debt and making our lives more affordable."[5]
- Social Security & MedicarePromised in his campaign launch video to protect Medicare and Social Security benefits.[3]
- Elections & DemocracySays he will push for congressional term limits, require members of Congress to pay the full cost of their health care, and cut lawmakers' pay if they vote to shut down the government.[4]
- TaxesSays he consistently opposed tax increases in Congress and, as a senator, wrote the law banning taxes on internet access.[2]
- Child CareHis campaign says affordability is his top focus and that he will work to lower child care and other costs for families.[7]
- EducationSupports allowing states to bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports and praised the 2026 Supreme Court ruling allowing such bans.[6]
- Civil LibertiesSays he pushed to reform federal surveillance laws; as a senator he joined a filibuster of the USA PATRIOT Act reauthorization.[2],[8]
Voting record
A selection of notable recorded votes. Not a complete record.
| Measure | Vote | Date |
|---|---|---|
| H.R. 1424 – Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 Created the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), authorizing up to $700 billion to stabilize the financial system. (U.S. Senate) | Yes[11] | Oct 1, 2008 |
| S. 1639 – Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (cloture) Motion to end debate on a bill pairing border enforcement with a path to legal status; the motion did not get the 60 votes needed. (U.S. Senate) | No[12] | Jun 28, 2007 |
| S.J.Res. 1 – Marriage Protection Amendment (cloture on motion to proceed) Motion to advance a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman; the motion did not get the 60 votes needed. (U.S. Senate) | No[13] | Jun 7, 2006 |
| S. 1307 – Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Implemented the CAFTA-DR trade agreement with Central American countries and the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Senate) | Yes[14] | Jun 30, 2005 |
| H.R. 1 – Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (conference report) Created the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. (U.S. Senate) | No[15] | Nov 25, 2003 |
| H.R. 2 – Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (conference report) Cut tax rates on capital gains and dividends and accelerated earlier income tax cuts. (U.S. Senate) | Yes[16] | May 23, 2003 |
In their words
“But now Congress just seems loud, dysfunctional, even angry.”
“I'm gonna be the New Hampshire candidate.”
“I'll push term limits, make Congress pay for the full cost of their healthcare”
Sources
- John Sununu for U.S. Senate (home page), Sununu campaign
- About John, Sununu campaign
- Nearly two decades later, John E. Sununu wants New Hampshire to send him back to the U.S. Senate, New Hampshire Bulletin, October 23, 2025
- John Sununu Wins Republican Primary for U.S. Senate, Sununu campaign, September 8, 2026
- John Sununu Launches First Ad of Campaign, Sununu campaign, July 23, 2026
- Senator Sununu Commends Supreme Court Ruling Protecting Girls' Sports, Sununu campaign, June 30, 2026
- As New Hampshire's US Senate race ramps up, candidates outline positions on improving child care, New Hampshire Bulletin, April 10, 2026
- U.S. Senate: Here's what separates Manzur and Pappas, Brown and Sununu, New Hampshire Bulletin, September 7, 2026
- John E. Sununu, Wikipedia
- Congress Legislators dataset (historical members), entry S001078, unitedstates/congress-legislators
- Roll Call Vote 110th Congress, 2nd Session, Vote 213: H.R. 1424, U.S. Senate, October 1, 2008
- Roll Call Vote 110th Congress, 1st Session, Vote 235: Cloture on S. 1639, U.S. Senate, June 28, 2007
- Roll Call Vote 109th Congress, 2nd Session, Vote 163: Cloture on S.J.Res. 1, U.S. Senate, June 7, 2006
- Roll Call Vote 109th Congress, 1st Session, Vote 170: S. 1307, U.S. Senate, June 30, 2005
- Roll Call Vote 108th Congress, 1st Session, Vote 459: H.R. 1 Conference Report, U.S. Senate, November 25, 2003
- Roll Call Vote 108th Congress, 1st Session, Vote 196: H.R. 2 Conference Report, U.S. Senate, May 23, 2003
- Pappas and Sununu prevail in primaries, setting up expensive fight for U.S. Senate, New Hampshire Bulletin, September 8, 2026
Photo: Official portrait, U.S. Senate (Public domain (U.S. government work)).
Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Spot an error or something missing? Report a correction.
Also running for U.S. Senate
- Edmond Laplante (Constitution)
- Chris Pappas (Democratic)