What They Are Saying: Backed by “Biggest Crowd of the Filing Period,” Pappas Brings Bipartisan Credentials in U.S. Senate Campaign

MANCHESTER, N.H. — After joining local radio interviews with Chris Ryan and Jack Heath, Congressman Chris Pappas made his campaign for U.S. Senate official by filing with the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Office. Speaking with members of the media immediately after signing, Pappas emphasized his bipartisan record of delivering for New Hampshire and taking on the tough fights from battling Big Pharma to taking on his own party to ban congressional stock trading. Pappas also slammed his likely Republican opponent, John Sununu, who is running to sell out Granite Staters to Donald Trump and corporate special interests. 

Read more coverage and commentary below:

WMUR: Large crowd meets Pappas as he files paperwork to run for U.S. Senate

By Adam Sexton / 06.08.26

  • CONCORD, N.H. — U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas drew a big crowd to the State House on Monday as he made his campaign for U.S. Senate official.
  • Pappas is already looking ahead to a possible matchup with former Republican U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu.
  • The biggest crowd of the candidate filing period so far cheered on Pappas as he arrived at the Secretary of State’s Office to sign and hand over his campaign paperwork to officially become a candidate for U.S. Senate.
  • “People are feeling ignored by Washington, D.C., right now. They think this administration is totally out of touch,” Pappas said. “They know that too many members of the House and Senate are captive to corporate special interests. They want someone who’s going to be working for them, and we’ve got to put some wins on the board for working people and middle-class families in New Hampshire.”
  • […]
  • While competitive primaries won’t be settled in New Hampshire until September, Pappas is already focusing on Sununu as his potential opponent.
  • “He’s running under the banner of Donald Trump, and when I talk to voters around New Hampshire, Trump’s policies are incredibly unpopular,” Pappas said.

WCAX: Pappas enters U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire

By Adam Sullivan / 06.08.26

  • New Hampshire Congressman Chris Pappas has officially entered the race for U.S. Senate, an open seat since fellow Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is not seeking reelection.
  • Pappas supporters lined the halls of the Statehouse in Concord on Monday as the four-term congressman filed his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
  • Pappas says in a polarized world, he is focused on bringing people together.
  • “If you understand New Hampshire and our values, it’s about how you can meet in the middle and find solutions,” Pappas said.
  • […]
  • Pappas addressed Sununu as his likely general election opponent on Monday.
  • “He stands with Donald Trump and the corporate special interests every single day of the week. This is about New Hampshire, how we can lower costs and make lives better,” Pappas said.
  • […]

NECN: Rep. Chris Pappas Files to Run in NH Senate Race

By Staff / 06.08.26

  • We go to New Hampshire now, where they are gearing up for a closely watched Senate race this fall. The Democratic front runner is now officially on the ballot for this race. Chris Pappas filed paperwork to run for the retiring Jeanne Shaheen’s seat yesterday.
  • Pappas has represented New Hampshire in the House since 2019, and that included winning reelection in 2022, when he defeated current White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. He said this election is all about the future.
  • PAPPAS: “I’m going to do this the New Hampshire way. You know, this is an opportunity, I think, not to further divide us, but to rebuild confidence that our government can actually deliver solutions and can get things done for everyday Granite Staters.”
  • […]

Union Leader: Seeking a promotion, Pappas says he’s got a bipartisan record of achievement

By Kevin Landrigan / 06.08.26

  • Four-term Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas said if elected to the U.S. Senate that he would bring a bipartisan spirit to help working families deal with the country’s affordability crisis.
  • “You’ve got to stay open to the sort of deliberations that should be happening in Washington. Right now, there’s no deliberation that’s happening on many of the major issues of the day, but I’ve demonstrated how you can stand up for what’s right,” Pappas, 46, told reporters.
  • Backed by a large and loud group of supporters, Pappas, 46, officially filed for the seat Monday and quickly took aim at former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, the Republican whom Pappas called his “likely opponent.” 
  • “Look, he’s been here before, he was rejected by the voters in 2008, and people right now don’t want the same old, same old. They want to change the status quo; they want someone who’s going to put New Hampshire first,” Pappas said.
  • […]
  • The Manchester owner of a family restaurant business, Pappas pointed to examples of his bipartisanship, pressing the past administration over the southern border, pursuing a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and opposing the Biden-era Internal Revenue Services proposals to examine bank records of individual taxpayers.
  • “At the end of the day, people are feeling ignored by Washington, D.C., right now. They think this administration is totally out of touch,” Pappas said. “They know that too many members in the House and Senate are captive to corporate special interests.”
  • […]

NHPR: Congressman Chris Pappas files his candidacy for U.S. Senate.

By Julia Barnett / 06.08.26

  • Congressman Chris Pappas filed his candidacy today for U.S. Senate. The Democrat says bipartisanship is needed to tackle issues like affordability and national security.
  • PAPPAS: “You got to stay open to the sort of deliberations that should be happening in Washington right now, there’s no deliberation happening on many of the major issues of the day, but I’ve demonstrated how you can stand up for what’s right.”
  • Pappas, who has served four terms in Congress, criticized his likely Republican opponent, former U.S. Senator John E. Sununu, as quote “the same old, same old.”  Sununu lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in 2008 Sununu is expected to file his candidacy later this week. […]

WGIR: Congressman Pappas on NH Today with Chris Ryan

06.08.26

  • PAPPAS: “The fact is, Americans are paying a steep price for this war right now at the gas pump, and higher costs across the board that are created as a result of a ripple effect, because of this engagement, and the way the global energy markets have been sent into a tailspin. So, Americans are paying the price, they are having a hard time seeing how this is making our country safer.”

WTSN: Congressman Pappas on Good Morning New Hampshire with Jack Heath

06.08.26

  • PAPPAS: “People here know me, they know my track record, you know me as a community member who really cares about what’s going on in this state and has a strong track record of taking on big fights, challenging corporate special interests in Washington, and working to get stuff done, and I’m proud of the record that I have, whether it’s defending personal freedoms, ensuring that we’re investing in our infrastructure, expanding care for veterans, making sure that New Hampshire continues to be a good place to call home. So, I’ll take that record and stack that up against anyone else out there.”

Adam Sexton, @AdamSextonWMUR / 06.08.26

  • “Biggest crowd of the filing period so far: @ChrisPappasNH is cheered on by supporters as he arrives at @NHSecretary’s Office to make his campaign for U.S. Senate official. #NHPolitics #NHSen”

State Senator David Watters, @SenDavidWatters / 06.08.26

  • “A splendid, upbeat filing for U.S. Senate by @ChrisPappasNH today, a message of working for all Granite Staters. #NHPolitics @NHDems”

Former NH Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan, @NHKathySullivan / 06.08.26 

  • “There was a very big, very robust crowd for Chris Pappas. Wrapped all the way around to the elevator.”

Deputy House Democratic Leader and State Senate Candidate Laura Telerski, @Laura Telerski for New Hampshire State Senate / 06.08.26

  • “I made it downstairs to catch Chris Pappas filing for U.S. Senate today and it was the biggest and most energetic crowd turnout I have seen by far this year!”

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