Sununu’s Investments Surge Amid Rising Costs for Gas, Food, and Medicine
John Sununu, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, has seen substantial financial gains from his investments in sectors that have benefited from increased costs on essential goods, according to campaign finance disclosures.
Sununu, who previously served in the Senate from 2003 to 2009, is running for office again, with affordability being a central theme in the campaign. His investments, alongside his spouse, are estimated to be worth up to $36.3 million. The escalation in prices, influenced by tariffs and conflicts like the Iran war, has boosted the value of several of Sununu’s stock holdings.
A key example is Sununu’s involvement in oil and gas enterprises. The Iran conflict has disrupted global oil distribution, inflating gas prices internationally. While American gas companies haven’t faced the same upheavals, they have profited by charging elevated prices, as noted by The Guardian.
Sununu holds up to $50,000 in ExxonMobil and up to $65,000 in Shell stocks. These investments alone have appreciated by approximately 24% as fuel costs surged for New Hampshire residents, reported by The Boston Globe.
Despite the Iran war’s unpopularity, Sununu has endorsed it, describing it as an “important and critical” mission during a March interview on New Hampshire Today. He argued in June that continuing the conflict would benefit economies globally and ensure national security.
Beyond energy, Sununu’s portfolio includes substantial stakes in food retailers that have profited from rising grocery prices. His investments comprise up to $150,000 in Wal-Mart, $100,000 in PepsiCo, and $100,000 in Coca-Cola. Price hikes in groceries are attributed to higher shipping costs and lingering effects of tariffs introduced by former President Donald Trump.
Trump’s tariffs, which increased the prices of imported goods, have been criticized despite their eventual annulment by the Supreme Court. Still, numerous prices remain high, as The Guardian reported. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted a 2.4% rise in food prices in 2025, with coffee prices climbing 21% due to tariffs on Brazil, according to The New York Times and Original Pricing, respectively.
In this context, Sununu’s holdings in PepsiCo increased by 4%, Wal-Mart by 34%, and Coca-Cola by 21%, amounting to a $50,000 gain, as documented by Granite Post News.
Sununu has minimized the impacts of these tariffs, stating their economic influence was “very modest” in a September 2025 address. He also downplayed the Supreme Court’s ruling, suggesting alternative legal provisions allow presidential authority to impose tariffs.
Sununu’s financial interests extend to the pharmaceutical sector, holding up to $425,000 in pharmaceutical stocks, notably Pfizer and Merck. In September 2025, a government agreement aimed to reduce drug prices. However, shortly after, these firms elevated their prices, with Pfizer’s COVID vaccine price rising by 15%, as reported by NPR.
During his Senate tenure, Sununu opposed Medicare’s efforts to negotiate drug prices and blocked initiatives to import cheaper Canadian prescriptions. Post-Senate, he lobbied for Akin Gump, a firm representing Pfizer and Merck, as highlighted by Meidas News.
Sununu’s primary contest is set against former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown on September 8, with the general election against Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas expected in November.
