US midterm elections: Who is Chris Pappas? first openly gay man elected to the US Senate

New Hampshire voters have elected Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas to the US Senate, making him the first openly gay man to win a seat in the chamber and helping his party retain the seat.

Pappas secured a decisive victory over Republican former Senator John E. Sununu, defeating his bid to return to the chamber after two decades.

Pappas will succeed retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. The Senate seat will remain with the Democrats following the retirement of Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who is stepping down at the end of her current term after serving for 18 years.

Shaheen was first elected in 2008, defeating Sununu, who was seeking re-election for a second term. Sununu previously held the Senate seat from 2003 to 2009 before losing to Shaheen in the 2008 election.

Although New Hampshire has consistently backed Democratic presidential candidates over the past two decades, Republicans saw an opportunity to win the seat, given their control of the state's governorship and legislature and the long-standing political influence of the Sununu family.

Pappas was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 2018, becoming New Hampshire's first openly LGBTQ member of Congress. During his tenure, he supported the Equality Act, legislation seeking to ban the so-called gay and transgender 'panic' defence, and initiatives advocating for LGBTQ+ veterans.

In a 2025 interview with The Advocate, Pappas said representation was part of his broader commitment to serving the people of his state.

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

However, his record on LGBTQ+ issues has also drawn criticism. In 2024, he supported the defence authorisation bill despite a provision restricting Tricare coverage of gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

Pappas' victory brings his record on LGBTQ+ rights to the US Senate, a powerful legislative body responsible for passing federal laws, confirming judicial appointments and approving key executive branch nominations. The result also ensures that Democrats retain control of Shaheen's seat, while marking a historic breakthrough for LGBTQ+ representation, as no openly gay man had been elected to the Senate despite openly LGBTQ+ women having previously secured seats in the chamber.

New Hampshire has traditionally been regarded as a swing state due to its politically moderate electorate. Republicans had therefore made Shaheen's Senate seat a target as part of their efforts to maintain their majority in the chamber.