Rep. Chris Pappas won New Hampshire’s Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, advancing to the November general election in a race that could help determine control of the Senate.
Pappas defeated progressive medical scientist Karishma Manzur, his most prominent opponent, along with David Jarvis, Maxwell Saal and John Vail, to claim the Democratic nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
Pappas will face former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu, the brother of former Gov. Chris Sununu and son of former Gov. John H. Sununu, in a key race for Senate control.
Manzur, a democratic socialist who has never held elected office, sought to capitalize on frustration with the Democratic establishment and argued that the party needed a more progressive voice in Washington.
Pappas’ victory is a win for Democrats who believe a pragmatic candidate with a record of winning competitive elections gives the party its strongest chance of holding the seat in November. New Hampshire is expected to be competitive and critical territory for both parties’ efforts to control the chamber.
A four-term congressman representing New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, Pappas has repeatedly won in the politically competitive Granite State. Before entering Congress in 2019, he served three terms on the state Executive Council and previously served in the New Hampshire House. A Manchester native and former co-owner of his family’s restaurant, the Puritan Backroom, Pappas became the first openly gay person to represent New Hampshire in Congress.
On the campaign trail, Pappas emphasized pocketbook concerns, arguing that Democrats need to focus on the cost of housing, healthcare and other everyday expenses. He also promoted proposals to lower taxes for working families and small businesses, reduce prescription drug costs and rein in corporate influence in Washington. Pappas made government ethics a central theme of his campaign, including pushing to ban members of Congress from trading stocks and reduce the role of big money in politics.
Pappas raised more than $15.3 million, according to Federal Election Commission data, compared with about $415,000 for Manzur — a nearly $15 million fundraising gap.
Pappas secured key endorsements from former President Barack Obama, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Kamala Harris and New Hampshire Sens. Shaheen and Maggie Hassan.
Manzur, meanwhile, drew support from progressive figures and groups, including former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, Progressive Democrats of America and the climate group 350NH Action.
The primary also offered a test of the Democratic Party’s direction. Manzur presented voters with a more aggressively progressive alternative, while Pappas argued that New Hampshire voters were looking for an independent-minded Democrat focused on affordability and results rather than ideological labels.
For Pappas, the task now shifts from winning over Democratic voters to holding together a broader coalition in a state where statewide elections are often decided by narrow margins — and where the outcome could reverberate far beyond New Hampshire.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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