John E. Sununu is running for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire as a Republican. He holds the president’s endorsement but keeps his distance from it.
Sununu’s campaign tests whether Republican candidates can win by looking past the Trump era. He is asking voters to consider a post-Trump political landscape.
The approach sets him apart from candidates who tie themselves closely to the president. It also carries risks in a party where loyalty to Trump remains strong.
New Hampshire is a competitive state with a tradition of independent-minded voters. That profile may give Sununu room to chart his own course.
His strategy reflects broader questions facing the Republican Party after Trump. Candidates in other races are weighing similar choices about how closely to align with him.
Sununu has name recognition from a family long active in New Hampshire politics. That history could help him appeal to moderate and swing voters.
The race will show whether the president’s endorsement still decides Republican primaries. It will also indicate how much distance voters will accept from a candidate.
