CONCORD, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) New Hampshire’s former Governor Chris Sununu has officially removed himself from contention for the U.S. Senate race in 2026, ending months of speculation about whether the popular Republican would try to shift his political career to Washington.

In an interview Tuesday morning with Good Morning NH radio host Jack Heath, Sununu said plainly, “I’m not going to run. I really thought about it… but I don’t have to be the candidate, and I’m not going to be the candidate.”

The announcement, though not entirely unexpected, reshapes the GOP’s path forward in a state where federal victories have been elusive.

Republicans have only managed to flip one congressional seat in the last 14 years — the 1st District in 2014 — while Democrats have held firm control of New Hampshire’s U.S. House and Senate seats since the Tea Party wave receded.

Despite stepping aside, Sununu was adamant that the state remains competitive.

“We’re a purple state,” he said. We don’t have a purple voice, and so there’s a huge opportunity.”

The four-term governor cited personal reasons for bowing out.

“I thought about, ‘Is it right for me and my family?” he said. “For me and my family, it’s just not right for us.’”

His decision drew swift reaction from across the political spectrum. The National Republican Senatorial Committee expressed optimism despite the loss of its most prominent potential candidate.

“We continue to believe Republicans are going to win New Hampshire in 2026,” said NRSC spokesperson Nick Puglia. “We’re excited about the number of candidates we’re talking to.”

GOP strategist Matthew Bartlett summed up the move with a sports metaphor: “New Hampshire’s Tom Brady stays retired.”

Attention now turns to who might step up in Sununu’s place. Heath floated the name of Scott Brown, the former U.S. Senator and ambassador who now lives in New Hampshire. Brown didn’t hint at any plans of his own but praised Sununu’s service, calling the Sununu family “patriots.”

While Sununu avoided naming any potential successors, he acknowledged that the national GOP is still in the early stages of evaluating the field.

“Tim Scott asked me this morning, ‘Let us know who else might be in this race,’” Sununu said, referring to the South Carolina senator. “We’ve got a long time to figure this out.”

On the Democratic side, the picture appears clearer. U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas entered the Senate race last week, and Sununu doesn’t expect him to face much of a challenge in the primary.

“…The guy knows how to run a race,” Sununu said.

He also weighed in on Rep. Maggie Goodlander, who has said she’s considering a bid. Sununu urged caution.

“I think she’d be crazy to run,” he said. “(She) has the opportunity to be a Democrat superstar in the House of Representatives, if she wanted to be. So why do you give that up to potentially lose a primary?”

With the Republican field now wide open, all eyes will be on who steps forward.

“This is a very winnable seat by a Republican,” said Sununu. “It doesn’t have to be me. I think 2026 is wide open for New Hampshire to say, ‘Hey, we’re a bipartisan state. How about we have a bipartisan voice in D.C.?’ We don’t. We only have these progressive left Democrats for more than eight years now, driving one side of a message.”