Chris Pappas has become the first publicly gay man ever to be elected to the US Senate, following his midterm election win on 3 November 2026.
The won the New Hampshire Senate election with 56.2 per cent of the vote, beating John Sununu, who received 41.9 per cent, keeping the seat blue.
In a historic first, Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate. One of the most talked-about moments of his victory speech came when he thanked his husband, Vann Bentley.
Chris Pappas thanks husband in US Senate victory speech
“I want to thank the guy next to me, my amazing husband, Vann. How about him?” he said to the crowd.
“But he’s always been by my side. And look, tonight, win, lose, or draw, I’m the luckiest guy because I’m married to a man that I love.”
“And despite all the negative attacks and the lies, it’s nice to know that love and truth prevailed tonight,” he added.
First elected to the House in 2018, Pappas became New Hampshire’s first publicly LGBTQ+ member of Congress.
Pappas political stances
As for his politics, Pappas said he wanted to improve access to affordable healthcare, support LGBTQ+ rights, protect transgender people’s access to healthcare and participation in school sport, reduce the cost of living, including through tax measures, reform immigration policy and increase the availability of affordable housing.
Following his victory, the senator-elect said at his family’s restaurant in New Hampshire: “Tonight’s results… are a wake-up call for corporate special interests and billionaires who have been rigging the economy for the cowards in Congress who have enabled health care cuts, tariffs and war, and for the incompetent president who can’t even be bothered to care how people are being hurt.”
Democratic victories at the midterm elections
Pappas was just one of several Democratic wins. The party came out victors of the 2026 US midterm elections, winning control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This means President now faces a Democratic-controlled Congress for the next two years of his term.
Democrats also flipped four Republican-held governorships (Texas, Ohio, Georgia and Iowa) and gained seven Republican-held Senate seats, giving them greater influence over US politics and the ability to challenge or block Trump’s policies.
Pappas marked his victory on , writing: “Thank you, New Hampshire.” In a separate post, he captioned a photograph: “Tonight is a victory for everyone.”