Rep. Chris Pappas announces Democratic bid for U.S. Senate for New Hampshire

Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire announced Thursday that he is running for the U.S. Senate seat that fellow Democrat Jeanne Shaheen is vacating at the end of her term.

Mr. Pappas, a four-term member of the House and the state’s first openly gay member of Congress, said he is running for the Senate “because our economy, our democracy, and our way of life are on the line, and New Hampshire deserves a Senator who is grounded in the people, places, and values of this state.”

“Granite Staters know my record of taking on the big fights and looking out for them — pushing tax cuts for working families and small businesses, taking on predatory companies and corporate polluters, and standing up to Big Pharma to lower drug costs,” Mr. Pappas, 44, said. “Like Senator Shaheen, I’ll always put New Hampshire first.”

“You can count on me to lead the charge to confront this administration, self-dealing billionaires, and extreme politicians who threaten our future and our ability to get things done for New Hampshire,” he said.

Democrats face a challenging Senate map in the 2026 midterm elections. Ms. Shaheen, 78, announced last month that she would not seek re-election, making it even more difficult.

National Republicans are trying to get former Gov. Chris Sununu to enter the race.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, immediately cast Mr. Pappas as “an out of touch” radical liberal.

“Chris Pappas supports biological males competing in women’s sports, wants to ban gas-powered vehicles, and voted to raise taxes on hard-working Granite Staters,” said NRSC spokesperson Nick Puglia. 

Democrats face a challenging Senate map in the 2026 midterm elections. Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Ms. Shaheen, 78, have retired, making things more difficult.

Those races have started to take shape and will feature a new generation of Democrats.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow announced Wednesday that she is running for the Michigan seat that opened after Mr. Peters decided against a re-election bid.

“We need new leaders,” the 38-year-old Democrat said in her announcement video. “The same people in D.C. who got us into this mess are not going to be the ones to get us out of it.”

Meanwhile, national Republicans are looking to land prize recruits, and in New Hampshire, they have been nudging former Gov. Chris Sununu to enter the Senate race.

Mr. Sununu, a popular three-term governor, has warmed to the idea, telling The Washington Times a day before Shaheen’s retirement announcement that he is reconsidering a bid.

Mr. Sununu’s older brother, John E. Sununu, held the New Hampshire Senate seat before losing to Ms. Shaheen in the 2008 election.

The Pappas announcement was welcome news for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP’s campaign arm. The committee said the decision increases its chances of flipping the seat that Mr. Pappas has helped since 2019.

“The writing is on the wall for House Democrats, and their vulnerable members are racing for the exits. Republicans are ready to seize on their dysfunction,” said NRCC spokesperson Maureen O’Toole. “We look forward to flipping this open seat red.”

Mr. Pappas is a familiar face to President Trump’s team. The Democrat defeated Karoline Leavitt to win a third term in 2022.

Ms. Leavitt now serves as White House press secretary.