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

New Hampshire Republicans are preparing to choose between two former senators whose political peaks came before the Trump era, an unusual return to familiar names in a campaign season dominated elsewhere by anti-establishment candidates.

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a good guy for this moment

John Sununu and Scott Brown are the leading contenders in the eight-person Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Voters will cast their ballots Tuesday, with many appearing more comfortable with experienced candidates than with a fresh face. Paul Martino, 57, of North Hampton, said he supports Sununu because he considers him smart, honest and civic-minded, calling him “a good guy for this moment.”

Sununu, who turns 62 this week, served three terms in the U.S. House and one in the Senate before Democrat Jeanne Shaheen defeated him in 2008. He has not appeared on a ballot in 18 years. His campaign has also benefited from the popularity of his younger brother, Chris Sununu, who completed eight years as governor last year.

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We need more people who try to find commonalities we can work off of versus differences we can use to be divisive

That family connection has created confusion. Fox News identified John as Chris in a report after he announced his campaign, displaying photos of his brother and combining their records. A debate moderator made the same mistake in June. At a Republican barbecue, 82-year-old supporter Sudie Francouer took a selfie with John and told a reporter, “I liked him as our governor.” After learning of the mix-up, she replied, “Oh, there’s so many of them!”

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I liked him as our governor

Sununu said he is focused on his own record, while acknowledging that his brother’s independence and focus on New Hampshire are qualities he hopes to emulate. Brown, who also turns 67 this week, argues that Sununu is relying on little more than his name and says he has encountered similarly confused voters. The Republican primary is expected to set up a sharp contrast with Democrats, whose field includes younger and progressive candidates.

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Oh, there’s so many of them!