Executive Councilor Enters Race For Congress In District 1

MANCHESTER, NH — One of the worst kept political secrets in the Granite State has come to fruition as New Hampshire District 4’s Executive Councilor announced that he will enter the 1st Congressional District race in 2018. Chris Pappas, the co-owner of the Puritan Backroom Restaurant in Manchester, announced his candidacy on Nov. 9, 2017, promising to “shake things up” in Washington, D.C., while not letting politics get in the way of delivering “real results” for the people of New Hampshire. He has been a rumored candidate for a number of weeks after current U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH, surprisingly announced that she would not be running for another term.

"I am grounded in the people and places of New Hampshire, and I am running for Congress to make a meaningful difference for our future," Pappas said. “Washington Republicans are not addressing the needs of middle class families. I want to be part of a new generation of leadership to turn things around."

Since 2013, Pappas has been the Executive Councilor for District 4, serving the communities of Allenstown, Auburn, Barrington, Bedford, Bow, Candia, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom, Goffstown, Hooksett, Lee, Londonderry, Loudon, Northwood, Nottingham, Pembroke, Pittsfield, and his home city of Manchester. About half his district is in the 1st CD.

In a statement on Thursday, Pappas attacked President Donald Trump and Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate claiming they were “sabotaging our health care system” and proposing “tax breaks for big corporations and the super wealthy.” Instead, he said, the Congress should be tackling climate change and working to fix the opioid crisis with bipartisan cooperation.

Pappas was born and raised in New Hampshire, graduated from Manchester public schools, and graduated from Harvard Universtity. He co-owns and manages the Puritan Backroom Restaurant. It was founded by his great-grandfather in 1917 and employs 230 people.

Other Democrats running for the open CD 1 seat are former AFL-CIO leader and state Rep. Mark Mackenzie, veteran and Rochester City Attorney Terence O’Rourke, Lincoln Soldati, a former Stafford County Attorney and mayor in Somersworth, and Maura Sullivan, a former Marine who moved to the state a few months ago.

Republican candidates include state Sen. Andy Sanborn, former police chief and liquor commission enforcement chief Eddie Edwards, and former Congressional and presidential candidate as well as author, Andy Martin.

Dylan Robinson has expressed interest in running as a Libertarian in 2018 while Shawn O’Connor, a businessman, who ran as an indie in 2016, and received nearly 10 percent of the vote, is considering another run next year.

Image via Chris Pappas website.