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Chris Pappas seeks New Hampshire Senate seat on affordability and healthcare platform
Democrat Chris Pappas is running for US Senate in New Hampshire in the 2026 midterm elections, facing Republican John Sununu.
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A member of the Democratic Party, Chris Pappas is running for the US Senate in New Hampshire in the 2026 midterm elections. He will be competing against Republican candidate John Sununu, a former US senator, and Constitution Party candidate Edmond Laplante, after former Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen retired.
Pappas won the Democratic primary on September 8, defeating medical scientist Karishma Manzur. Since then, he has been vocal about issues like healthcare, affordability, LGBTQ+ rights, gun rights and much more.
Pappas began his political career in 2003 when he was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives where he served till 2007. He later served as Hillsborough County treasurer from 2007 to 2011 and then as a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council from 2013 to 2019. In 2018, Pappas was elected to the US House of Representatives to represent New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. He became New Hampshire’s first openly gay Congress member and was elected four times.
Early years and personal life of Pappas
Born on June 4, 1980, in Manchester, New Hampshire, Pappas is a descendant of Greek immigrants. His paternal great grandfather, Arthur Pappas emigrated from Greece to the US in the early 20th century. His family established the Puritan Backroom restaurant in Manchester in 1917. Before joining politics, he worked there to help his family with their family business.
He attended Manchester public schools and graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1998. He went on to achieve a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University. During his time at Harvard, he also wrote for the university’s student newspaper called, The Harvard Crimson. Pappas lives in Manchester with his husband Vann Bentley and their cat Dorothy.
Key issues, priorities and campaign record
Pappas has centered his campaign around affordability, healthcare, energy prices and economic security. He supports lowering prescription drug costs, expanding access to affordable healthcare, along with protecting Social Security and Medicare. He also proposed to suspend the federal gas tax in order to ease fuel costs and reduce financial strain on families that are struggling to pay for their heating bills.
Additionally, Pappas has advocated for protecting access to abortion and also called for stronger protection of LGBTQ+ rights. He helped advance the Women’s Health Protection Act in Congress, supported measures to safeguard in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and restored special support services for LGBTQ+ people. He has even shown his support to Respect for Marriage Act, establishing protective laws for same-sex and interracial marriages.
During his time in the Congress, he voted against President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included tax cuts and changes to Medicaid and other federal spending programmes.
Immigration, jobs, trade and tariff
Pappas supports immigration reforms that provide opportunities to those who follow legal procedures, saying “legal immigration helps make our nation stronger”. He has criticised the Trump administration’s immigration policies and demanded regulation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, he has also urged strengthening the borders in order to enhance security, along with improving border infrastructure and technology.
Beyond immigration, Pappas has emphasized upon job creation through support for small businesses, manufacturing and workforce development. He backed the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing and create jobs in the US. He has also advocated to set up apprenticeships and job training programs to help workers access employment opportunities, while supporting tax relief for working families and small businesses.
Moreover, Pappas has fiercely opposed President Trump’s tariffs, arguing that they increase costs for consumers and small businesses. He introduced the Small Business RELIEF Act to exempt goods imported by small businesses from these tariffs and refund tariffs already paid. He has also called for abolishing tariffs on food and everyday essentials, arguing that trade policies should protect American businesses without increasing the cost of living for families.
Iran war and AI
Pappas opposed President Trump’s decision to launch military operations against Iran without the approval of Congress members. In March 2026, he voted for a war powers resolution that aimed to restrict the president’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran. He argued that military action without clear objectives could lead to another conflict and that Congress should have a role when it comes to the authorization of military operations. He continued to raise concerns about the increasing energy prices. However, Pappas has also supported the efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear programme and terrorism, calling it “a terrorist state that has long fuelled death and destruction across the globe”.
Beyond this conflict, Pappas has called to regulate artificial intelligence and major technology companies. He believes Congress should set clear guidelines for AI companies and make sure their systems meet safety standards before being released to the public. He has also raised concerns about the growing number of data centres as they require large amounts of electricity and can put pressure on local infrastructure. Pappas wants local communities to actively participate in conversations around the construction of data centres and how these centers affect electricity costs.
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Controversies surrounding Pappas
In 2020, Republican Matt Mowers questioned Pappas about his relationship with Vann Bentley, who was working as a lobbyist for Amazon at that time. Mowers argued that Pappas had voted on legislation that Amazon had lobbied on, without publicly disclosing their relationship. Pappas defended himself, calling the allegations “outrageous”. He later confirmed that he was dating Bentley, and the couple married in 2023. During Pappas’s 2026 Senate campaign, Republicans again asked whether his relationship with an Amazon lobbyist had affected his votes. However, a fact-check by PolitiFact rated these claims made by Republicans and called them “mostly false”.
Later in 2026, Pappas faced criticism because of donations linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobbying group. Although Pappas supported reducing the influence of personal interest groups in politics, reports showed that he had received financial support from AIPAC during his political career. His Democratic primary opponent, Karishma Manzur, criticized this and questioned his commitment to campaign finance reform. However, Pappas defended himself by saying that he opposes efforts by any PAC to give special interest groups too much influence over politics.
Personal wealth and more
Pappas’ estimated net worth is around $6 million, as of 2026, according to several US media reports. Most of his wealth comes from his share in his family’s restaurant business in Manchester, New Hampshire, along with real estate and investments. However, there is no official confirmation regarding his personal wealth.
With 2026 midterms just a few days away, Pappas is seeking to move from the House of Representatives to the US Senate. Competing against two other candidates, he has made healthcare, living costs and government reform the main focus of his campaign. After years in Congress, this race marks a new step in his political career.
-By Tanisha Sharma
