Karoline Leavitt's Fox News Appearance Takes Uncomfortable Turn as Her Home-State Republican Pick Loses to Democrat She Once Faced
Karoline Leavitt was on Fox News when they called the New Hampshire Senate race for Democrat Chris Pappas
Nov. 4 2026, Published 11:19 a.m. ET
Karoline Leavitt faced an uncomfortable moment during Fox News' election-night coverage after Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican John E. Sununu in New Hampshire's Senate race on November 3.
The result was particularly personal for the former White House press secretary, who had voted for Sununu and previously lost a congressional race to Pappas.
Fox News host Dana Perino highlighted Leavitt's connection to the state and her history with the newly elected senator while discussing the result.
Leavitt admitted she was disappointed, but also used the opportunity to criticize Pappas' political record.
Dana Perino Puts Karoline Leavitt on the Spot After Pappas Wins
Karoline voted for Republican John E. Sununu that morning in her home state
After Fox News called the Senate race for Pappas, Perino turned to Leavitt, pointing out her New Hampshire roots and previous congressional campaign against the Democrat.
"I'm looking at Karoline Leavitt, who is from New Hampshire, ran a race in New Hampshire, knows all these people very well, I mean, is this a surprise?" Perino asked.
Leavitt revealed that she had returned to her home state that morning to cast her ballot for Sununu.
"Yeah, well, I was in New Hampshire this morning, woke up, cast my ballot for John E. Sununu. I am sad to see not enough of my fellow Granite Staters did the same," she said.
She then criticized Pappas, arguing that he presented himself as a moderate but voted alongside the more liberal members of his party once in Congress.
Leavitt also referenced his family's small business before describing the election result as "obviously a disappointing loss for our state."
According to The Daily Beast's account of the broadcast, Leavitt also attempted to highlight other Republican victories before joking, "It's my first day at work!"
Chris Pappas Had Defeated Leavitt in the 2022 House Race
Leavitt said she was sad not enough of her fellow Granite Staters did the same
Pappas' victory had an additional personal connection for Leavitt. The two previously faced each other in the 2022 election for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, where the Democratic incumbent comfortably defeated the Republican challenger.
According to certified election results compiled by Ballotpedia, Pappas received 167,391 votes, representing 54% of the total. Leavitt finished with 142,229 votes, or 45.9%.
Pappas had represented the district since 2019 before entering the Senate race. His latest victory means he will replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, whose seat Republicans had hoped to flip.
The win also made Pappas the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.
Leavitt Had Publicly Revealed Her Republican Ballot
Dana Perino pointed out on air that Leavitt is from New Hampshire and knows the people there well
Leavitt had made her political preferences public before Election Day results emerged. She shared an "I voted!" selfie on social media alongside an image of her ballot, revealing her choices in several New Hampshire contests.
Besides Sununu, she voted for Republican Kelly Ayotte for governor, Anthony DiLorenzo for Congress, Janet Stevens for the Executive Council and Lou Gargiulo for state Senate.
The results proved disappointing for Leavitt beyond the Senate contest. Ayotte retained the governorship, but the other four candidates she supported lost their respective races.
Democrat Cinde Warmington challenged Ayotte for governor, while Stefany Shaheen defeated DiLorenzo in the 1st Congressional District. Democrats also won the Executive Council and state Senate contests involving Stevens and Gargiulo.
Karoline Leavitt Recently Joined Fox News After Leaving the White House
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Pappas won by a wide margin, taking the open seat over Sununu
Leavitt's election-night appearance came just days after she officially began her new position as a Fox News contributor.
The network announced her appointment on October 5, confirming that she would provide political commentary and analysis across its programming starting November 1.
She left her position as White House press secretary at the end of August 2026 after serving in the role since January 2025. Leavitt explained that she wanted to spend more time with her two young children following the birth of her second child.
At 29, she became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary. She has since returned to her home state of New Hampshire with her family.
Pappas' Senate victory adds another historic milestone to his political career, while Leavitt's first election-night appearance as a Fox News contributor put her previous political rivalry back in the spotlight.
