Wisconsin stories

Nov 4, 2026

Chris Pappas becomes first openly gay male US senator

Rep. Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's Senate race, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate while holding a vulnerable seat for Democrats.

Nov 4, 20264 sources

Top claims

▪Chris Pappas's 2026 Senate election victory maintained Democratic control over the New Hampshire Senate seat vacated by retiring three-term Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen
▪Pre-election polls indicated Democrats had a good chance of seizing the U.S. House and possibly the Senate amid voter anger over the U.S. economy and the war against Iran
▪California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to the U.S. Senate in 2023, making her the nation's first Black lesbian senator

Topics

US Senate Republican Party LGBTQ+ rights U.S. election results US midterm elections Gavin Newsom Elections 2026 U.S. midterm elections Senate races Kamala Harris 2026 New Hampshire Senate election – Chris Pappas’s projected victory Democratic Party

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Iran Manchester New Hampshire California United States