Chris Pappas Makes Gay Senate History

What happened

Updated Nov 3, 9:59pm ET

Democrat Chris Pappas won New Hampshire’s Senate race against Republican John E. Sununu, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.
His victory keeps a key seat in Democratic hands as the party seeks to regain control of the Senate.
Sununu, a former senator who lost the seat in 2008, conceded and congratulated Pappas.
Pappas, a four-term House member, focused his campaign on high prices, health care costs and fighting Washington corruption rather than his potential historic milestone.
Pappas will succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in January.

How the left told it

Left-leaning outlets emphasized both Pappas’s historic breakthrough and his defense of a crucial Democratic seat. The New York Times placed the milestone against pushback on LGBTQ rights, while noting his focus on voters’ concerns. The Guardian highlighted his role as a “bulwark against the Trump administration.”

How the right told it

Right-leaning outlets largely framed the result as a Democratic hold that blocked a Republican pickup, with several also highlighting the historic milestone. Fox News called it a “major Senate victory” for Democrats. The New York Post emphasized both Pappas becoming the first openly gay male senator and Sununu’s failed comeback.