New Hampshire Democrat Chris Pappas Launches Campaign for U.S. Senate
The U.S. Representative starts as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination.
U.S. Representative Chris Pappas, a Democrat, has officially decided to campaign for a promotion to the U.S. Senate in 2026. He becomes the first candidate to enter the Democratic primary after Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a fellow Democrat, announced her retirement after three terms in office. This will be the first open Senate election in New Hampshire since 2010. Pappas’ launch video can be viewed here.
The 2026 Senate cycle will see 35 contested races - 33 regular elections and 2 special elections. Republicans currently hold 22 of these seats while Democrats represent the remaining 13. So far, four incumbent Senators have announced their retirements. Meanwhile, Pappas becomes the fourth retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives this cycle (all are running for other offices) and the first Democrat to do so.
Pappas, 44, has served New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since January 2019. His district covers the southern and eastern portions of the state. It notably takes in the state’s largest city Manchester as well as the Seacoast and the Lakes Region.
Pappas’ political career began when he volunteered while in high school for Shaheen’s successful 1996 campaign for Governor of Hampshire. He was then elected himself to the New Hampshire House of Representatives from December 2002 to December 2006. He then became Treasurer of Hillsborough County from January 2007 to January 2011. And finally, he held District 4 on the New Hampshire Executive Council from January 2013 to January 2019.
In 2018, Pappas entered the Democratic primary to succeed outgoing U.S. Representative Carol Shea-Porter, also a Democrat. He led the 11-candidate primary with 42.2% of the vote. In the general election, he held the seat for his party 53.6-45.0 against Republican Eddie Edwards. He was re-elected in 2020, 2022 and 2024. While Republicans always target New Hampshire’s congressional delegation every cycle, the two seats to the U.S. House and the two seats in the U.S. Senate are held by Democrats.
For the 119th Congress, Pappas serves on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure; and Veterans’ Affairs. Moreover, he is the Ranking Member on the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. And finally, he is a Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. If elected to the U.S. Senate, he will become the first openly gay man to serve in the chamber.
Immediately upon Shaheen’s retirement announcement, Pappas and his House colleague Maggie Goodlander were seen as likely candidates for promotion to the U.S. Senate. With Pappas’ entry, the party has its first major candidate in the race. No Republicans have yet launched campaigns for their party’s nomination. Possible candidates include former Governor Chris Sununu and former U.S. Ambassador Scott Brown. Meanwhile, former Senator Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, has declined to run after being elected Governor of New Hampshire last year.
Potential candidates for the U.S. House were awaiting news of Pappas’ Senate campaign before talking about running to succeed him. No one on the Democratic or Republican side has yet entered the race for the open-seat contest in the state’s 1st District.
Under the current lines, Democrat Kamala Harris won New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District with a 51.0-49.0 finish against Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. That came as Harris was carrying the state 50.7-47.9 in her ultimately unsuccessful national campaign. On the same ballot, Pappas outran the top of the ticket 54.0-46.0 to be re-elected against Republican Russell Prescott.