Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he will not run for U.S. Senate in 2026. “I’ve done eight years and it was a hard eight years as governor. To sign up for the Senate, you’re really signing up for 12 more years, so that’s a commitment I hadn’t really put into the mix, and, again, it’s just not right for my family at this time,” Sununu told WMUR. Sununu’s decision comes after President Trump encouraged him to run, saying he would “support him fully.” President Trump Throws Support Behind Potential Candidate In Critical U.S. Senate Race WMUR reports: The decision comes two days after President Donald Trump told reporters that he hoped Sununu would run despite some public spats between the two. "It was an honor that some folks from New Hampshire, Washington, the president himself offered a lot of support. It made me rethink things for a little bit. But at the end of the day, it’s just not right for me and my family," Sununu said. Sununu was floated as a potential Republican contender for U.S. Senate after WMUR was the first to break the news that Sen. Jeanne Shaheen would not seek reelection. Since then, Rep. Chris Pappas has joined the race for U.S. Senate, as WMUR was first to report. Rep. Maggie Goodlander has shown interest in running, too. ?Just in: Former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu has announced that he will not run for the open New Hampshire Senate Seat in 2026. This comes after President Trump encouraged him to run and the NRSC strongly encouraged him to run as well. pic.twitter.com/L3UzKQeI3O — The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) April 8, 2025 2026 Watch-BREAKING: @ChrisSununu -asked by Jack Heath on @thepulseofnh just now if he's running for the Senate, says "No, I’m not going to run...For me and my family, it’s just not right for us." On @realDonaldTrump saying he'd back Sununu if he ran for the Senate -"I’m honored… pic.twitter.com/rLK9p5k9i3 — Paul Steinhauser (@steinhauserNH1) April 8, 2025 From POLITICO: Trump’s support came as a surprise given how he and Sununu have clashed over the years. Sununu has previously criticized Trump’s rhetoric, backing Nikki Haley in the 2024 Republican primary. However, he quickly threw his support behind Trump after he became the presumptive nominee. Scott Brown, a former Massachusetts GOP senator and U.S. ambassador, who is weighing a potential run, praised Sununu on Tuesday. Brown was the Republican nominee for the New Hampshire Senate seat in 2014. “@ChrisSununu and the entire Sununu family are patriots who have made our state a better place - looking forward to seeing what’s next for him and working alongside him for New Hampshire’s future,” Brown said in an X post Tuesday, referring to Sununu’s announcement. Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas launched a campaign for Shaheen’s Senate seat last week, seeking to maintain Democrats’ grasp of the seat. With a Senate run out of the picture, Sununu said he would continue his work in the private sector for now.