New Hampshire’s GOP primary features two familiar names from the past, and voters are fine with that

New Hampshire’s GOP primary features two familiar names from the past, and voters are fine with that 1 of 6 | Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is seeking the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for his old seat, takes a selfie with supporter Sudie Francouer, in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 2 of 6 | Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican who previously represented Massachusetts and is making his second run for Senate in New Hampshire, addresses voters at an American Legion hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 3 of 6 | A supporter snaps a photo of former Sen. John E. Sununu as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for his old seat in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 4 of 6 | Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown introduces himself to voters in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for the state’s open Senate seat. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 5 of 6 | Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is running for his old seat nearly 18 years after being ousted, mingles with voters at the Coos County Republican Committee BBQ in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 6 of 6 | Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown listens to a voter in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for the state’s open Senate seat. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 1 of 6 | Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is seeking the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for his old seat, takes a selfie with supporter Sudie Francouer, in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 1 of 6 Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is seeking the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for his old seat, takes a selfie with supporter Sudie Francouer, in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 6 | Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican who previously represented Massachusetts and is making his second run for Senate in New Hampshire, addresses voters at an American Legion hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 2 of 6 Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican who previously represented Massachusetts and is making his second run for Senate in New Hampshire, addresses voters at an American Legion hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 6 | A supporter snaps a photo of former Sen. John E. Sununu as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for his old seat in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 3 of 6 A supporter snaps a photo of former Sen. John E. Sununu as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for his old seat in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 6 | Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown introduces himself to voters in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for the state’s open Senate seat. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 4 of 6 Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown introduces himself to voters in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for the state’s open Senate seat. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 6 | Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is running for his old seat nearly 18 years after being ousted, mingles with voters at the Coos County Republican Committee BBQ in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 5 of 6 Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is running for his old seat nearly 18 years after being ousted, mingles with voters at the Coos County Republican Committee BBQ in Berlin, N.H., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 6 of 6 | Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown listens to a voter in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for the state’s open Senate seat. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) 6 of 6 Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown listens to a voter in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as he campaigns for the GOP-nomination" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="200788" data-entity-type="event">GOP nomination for the state’s open Senate seat. (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Berlin, N.H. (AP) — It’s been 24 years since a campaign commercial opened with a voter declaring “John Sununu represents the future.” His current opponent, Scott Brown, is a grandfather who says that role gives him an edge.Bucking national trends, the top candidates in New Hampshire’s eight-person Republican primary for U.S. Senate are both former senators whose heydays long predate the Trump era. While voters elsewhere have embraced a decidedly anti-establishment sentiment this campaign season, New Hampshire Republican voters appear content with their choices and are poised to pick a familiar name over a fresh face on Tuesday.Paul Martino, 57, of North Hampton, said he’s supporting Sununu because he seems smart, honest and civic-minded and called him “a good guy for this moment.”“We need more people who try to find commonalities we can work off of versus differences we can use to be divisive,” he said.The Republicans’ back-to-the-future approach will provide a stark contrast in November with Democrats, whose primary includes both younger and progressive candidates. GOP voters are comfortable with their comeback candidatesSununu and Brown were among 27 former members of Congress who mounted comeback campaigns this year. Only nine have advanced to the general election, including several who have been out of office just for the last two years.Sununu, who will turn 62 this coming week, served three terms in the U.S. House and one in the Senate before being ousted in 2008 by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, who is retiring after three terms. He hasn’t been on a ballot in 18 years — long enough for some babies born during his final year in office to reach voting age.But just as being the son of a former governor most likely eased his entry into politics, Sununu is now benefiting from the popularity of his younger brother, Chris, whose eight years as governor ended last year.