Former State Department Official Launches GOP Congressional Bid

BEDFORD, NH — A former Trump state department official has launched a bid for Congress in the 1st Congressional District saying he will be an independent voice who will reject the "socialist agenda in Washington." Matt Mowers of Bedford announced his run for the Republican nomination to challenge first-term U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH Tuesday. Mowers, a former senior White House advisor at the U.S. State Department, said it was time for "a new generation of conservative leadership" that focuses and delivers for the citizens of New Hampshire.

"Chris Pappas told Granite Staters he would go to Washington to represent us, but instead it’s clear that he only cares about Nancy Pelosi’s liberal partisan agenda," Mowers said. "Pappas has voted with Nancy Pelosi 100 percent of the time (and) has shown he is nothing but a rubber stamp for socialist policies that will raise taxes on New Hampshire’s middle-class and an impeachment crusade that voters have clearly rejected."

The former New Hampshire Republican Party executive director grew up in Hampton, the son of a bartender and construction worker. He worked full-time while earning a degree at Rutgers University. Mowers has been active in a number of campaigns and state politics for many years.

While working in the state department, Mowers said he saw first-hand what happens when countries "ignore the will of their people and enact socialist policies that cripple their economy – robbing hope and prosperity from their citizens." While there, he also helped lead the multi-billion-dollar global HIV PEPFAR program which has saved millions of lives while also advising officials on religious freedom issues around the world as well as immigration reform, ISIS, and North Korea.

Mowers said if elected, he would work with President Donald Trump to lower prescription drug prices, would strongly support veterans, would work to stop the influx of illegal drugs by building a wall along the southern border of the United States, and "fight for New Hampshire families and businesses." He said he would also preserve 2nd Amendment rights, lower taxes on small businesses, and promote better trade deals.

Mowers also said he was prepared to mount "an aggressive challenge" against Pappas.

Mowers joins Matt Mayberry, a veteran, former Dover City Councilor, and former vice chairman of the state party, who hinted he would also be running for the seat last month and was expected to make an announcement sometime this month. Mayberry toyed with a run in 2018.

Eddie Edwards, the 2018 party nominee, may also run again this year but has not made an official announcement yet. Edwards was bested by Pappas by about 24,000 votes, with Libertarian Dan Belforti earning about 4,200 votes.

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