Sununu to seek third term as New Hampshire governor

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Tuesday announced his intention to seek a third term as the state’s top official, quashing speculation that he would try to unseat Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who’s also up for reelection in 2020.

“Tonight I’m announcing my intention to run for Governor in 2020,” Sununu said in a Medium post.

“I truly appreciate the enthusiastic encouragement from so many that I run for the United States Senate,” he added. “We all know that I would defeat Jeanne Shaheen, but others can too. Never before has a sitting twelve year Senator from New Hampshire accomplished so little.”

Shaheen, facing a potential challenge from the Republican governor, had raised close to $1.5 million by the end of the first quarter of 2019. All in all, 12 Democratic senators are up for reelection in 2020; the party hopes to retain those seats while picking up three more in order to gain control of the Senate. Republicans currently hold 53 seats.

Sununu, the state’s youngest governor when he was first elected in 2016, has faced criticism over a voter registration law he signed during his first term requiring voters to prove that they actually live where they vote.

Shaheen first won her Senate seat in 2008 when she challenged and won against Sununu’s older brother, former Sen. John Sununu (R).