John E. Sununu Republican Jeanne Shaheen Democratic The United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 4, 2008.

Senator John E. Sununu ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in a rematch of the 2002 election.

Astronaut Jay Buckey MD, Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand, and Katrina Swett, (wife of former Congressman Richard Swett), had announced their candidacies but withdrew in favor of former governor Jeanne Shaheen upon her entrance into the race.

Since 2005, Shaheen had served as director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School before leaving on September 14, 2007.

[4] A November 2006 SurveyUSA poll of New Hampshire voters found Sununu had a 47% approval rating.