Chris Pappas projected as first openly gay male US senator

US media projected that Democratic Representative Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's US Senate race on Tuesday, putting him on course to become the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate.

Pappas defeated Republican former senator John Sununu, according to the projections, keeping the New Hampshire seat under Democratic control.

The 46-year-old has served in the US House of Representatives since 2018 and is co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus.

The Human Rights Campaign, a major LGBTQ rights organisation that endorsed Pappas, called the result a “historic win”. GLAAD also congratulated him and said he was “making history”.

The race was part of US midterm elections that will determine control of Congress and shape the rest of President Donald Trump's second term.