In the small but consequential state of New Hampshire, two political veterans have emerged from their primaries to contest an open Senate seat that may help decide the balance of power in Washington. Democrat Chris Pappas and Republican John Sununu — each carrying the weight of legacy, endorsement, and contested identity — will face one another in November on ground that has long resisted easy categorization. The race distills a broader national question: whether voters in a genuinely competitive state will weigh a candidate's family name and presidential ties more heavily than his record, or