The Sununu family continues to wield significant influence in New Hampshire politics, and recent developments in John Sununu’s U.S. Senate campaign have piqued curiosity. Notably, the campaign has allocated substantial funds to Sununu’s sister and to Sununu himself, raising eyebrows about the financial dynamics within the campaign.
Between March and June of this year, John Sununu’s campaign disbursed over $36,000 to his sister, Catherine Sununu, for “Fundraising Consulting.” Additionally, Sununu received more than $15,000, marked as “Reimbursement-See Memo,” though no memo was attached, according to campaign finance reports.
The Sununu family is deeply entrenched in the state’s political landscape. John H. Sununu, John’s father, served as governor from 1983 to 1989 and later as White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush. Chris Sununu, John’s brother, held the governorship from 2017 until the previous year. John Sununu himself was a U.S. Senator from 2003 to 2009.
The family’s financial empire is also noteworthy. Michael Sununu, another of John’s brothers, established the investment firm Sununu Holdings LLC, in which John is a shareholder. In 2024, John H. Sununu transferred 900,000 shares of mining stock to the company, enhancing its assets.
With a net worth of up to $36.3 million, John Sununu stands as a wealthy figure, while Chris Sununu’s wealth is estimated at $7.4 million. This substantial financial standing draws attention to the necessity of campaign payments to family members.
Catherine Sununu has encountered scrutiny before for benefiting financially from her family’s political ties. In 2017, her interior design firm was compensated $50,188 for “supplies and decor” at Chris Sununu’s inauguration. Catherine, part of the inaugural committee, justified the payment by asserting she “did everything” for the event. However, the Union Leader noted her company lacked both a website and a functioning phone number.
As John Sununu aims for a Senate return, the campaign is anticipated to be fiercely contested. He will contend with former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown in the primary on September 8. The primary victor is expected to face Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in the general election.
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