Democrat Pappas Files For U.S. Senate Seat, Won't Say If Platner Is Fit To Serve

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

When U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas officially filed to run for the U.S. Senate on Monday, he accused his likely opponent, John E. Sununu, of “standing with Donald Trump.”

But the four-term congressman dodged questions about whether he would stand with a fellow New England Democrat: Nazi-tattooed Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.

A large and enthusiastic crowd greeted Pappas outside the Secretary of State’s office as the Manchester Democrat signed his candidacy documents and took questions from the press.

Pappas was asked repeatedly whether Platner, who has faced criticism over racist and sexist comments and is accused of abusive behavior toward women, is fit to serve, and whether Pappas would campaign with him.

Pappas declined to answer directly.

“Well, look, the allegations that have come out, including last week in the reporting, are deeply concerning, and he’s got to answer some tough questions from the voters of Maine, and really they’re the only ones that can render a verdict on whether he’s fit to serve in the U.S. Senate,” Pappas said.

U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas is joined by family and supporters as he files to run for U.S. Senate at the NH Secretary of State’s office.

Refusing to denounce Platner puts Pappas in line with most of his fellow party members. The Senate’s top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reiterated his endorsement of Platner last week.

Some Democrats, however, have expressed strong reservations about backing the erratic oyster farmer.

“Reports of threatening behavior and antisemitism like the ones made against Graham Platner are serious and deserve scrutiny,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H. “It’s also critical to acknowledge how difficult this is for the women who’ve come forward. Character matters now more than ever, and any high-profile campaign including Mr. Platner’s involves the close examination of a candidate’s history, statements and behavior.”

On Monday, Pappas attempted to pivot away from the Maine Democrat and back to his own campaign.

“We could spend a lot of time talking about Graham Platner, or the very corrupt Republican who’s the nominee for Senate in Texas, but we’ve got to stay focused on what’s important to New Hampshire,” Pappas said. “People in our state don’t have time for political scandals.”

The Platner question is particularly awkward for Pappas, who has campaigned on the historic nature of his candidacy: If elected, he would be the first openly gay man to serve in the U.S. Senate. Having embraced that mantle, Pappas was asked whether he had a duty to speak out about a fellow Democrat who used anti-gay slurs and told a former girlfriend that, if someone broke into his home, he would “rape them… but not in a ‘gay’ way.”A Platner campaign official did not dispute the account.

Pappas again avoided answering the question.

“I’m staying focused on this race in New Hampshire, and this is a live-and-let-live state,” Pappas said. “We put it right on the license plates. We take freedom incredibly seriously in New Hampshire. That means that you get to love who you want to love.”

Republicans say the issue isn’t “love,” but leadership.

“If Chris Pappas can’t stand up to Graham Platner and answer basic questions about Platner’s conduct and fitness for office, how can anyone expect him to stand up to party bosses in Washington?” said Sununu spokesman Mike Schrimpf.

“Pappas still refuses to condemn someone who wore a Nazi tattoo on his chest for over a decade. He refuses to say whether someone who publicly denigrates women, veterans, and minorities is fit to serve. Simply put, Chris Pappas is toeing the Democrats’ Party line, just like he has in Congress, where he voted with Nancy Pelosi 222 out of 223 times.”

Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who is also seeking the GOP nomination, had a similar take.

“Chris Pappas has a lot of difficulty answering straight questions, with straight answers,” said Brown. “Platner is now the face of the Democratic Party along with Mamdani, AOC and others. If he can’t answer this simple question, it should disqualify him from service to our State.”

Pappas repeatedly pivoted away from the Platner issue, arguing the race should be about New Hampshire, not national political fights or scandals in other states.

“This is a big job, representing the entire state of New Hampshire,” Pappas said. “At a moment where our political climate is just so toxic, we have to figure out how to bring people together around solutions, get stuff done, and make people’s lives better.

“There’s going to be a pretty sharp contrast in this campaign between myself and my likely opponent, John Sununu. 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, and that’s how we’re going to fight this campaign.”

Pappas said his background as a Manchester small-business owner and his time in Congress give him the right approach for the race.

“If you understand New Hampshire and our values, it’s about how you can meet in the middle and find solutions,” Pappas said.

Polls show Sununu with a large lead in the GOP primary, similar to Pappas’ lead over progressive activist Karishma Manzur. Those same polls show a single-digit race between Pappas and Sununu in a general election.

Americans for Prosperity Action, which has endorsed Sununu, answered Pappas’ filing with a statement accusing him of being a reliable vote for Washington Democrats.

“Chris Pappas went to Washington and voted for the largest tax increase in American history that included trillions in spending, putting politics over the families he claims to represent,” said AFP Action senior adviser Sarah Scott. “Granite Staters don’t need a senator who takes orders from Washington politicians.”

Pappas insists he’ll put New Hampshire first.

“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,” Pappas said.

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.