Out Gay Chris Pappas Wins Democratic Senate Primary in New Hampshire

On Tuesday, September 8, Congressman Chris Pappas won the Democratic primary, securing his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate seat representing New Hampshire. According to the Associated Press, he took home 65% of the vote, defeating his challenger Karishma Manzur, who received 32.7%, LGBTQ Nation reports.

The Senate seat is being vacated by the retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. If Pappas, who is already the first openly gay person to represent New Hampshire in Congress, wins the general election in November, he will make history as the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.

In the general election, Pappas will face John E. Sununu, who secured the Republican nomination and previously held the Senate seat from 2003 to 2008. The race could be pivotal in deciding party control of the Senate.

While media reports note a recent University of New Hampshire poll showed Pappas slightly behind Sununu, the Democratic Party remains confident in a victory, pointing out that Donald Trump, who endorsed Sununu, has never won the state. Both sides have already launched active campaigns focusing on taxes and corporate influence, drawing significant funding: Republican and Democratic super PACs plan to spend tens of millions of dollars on ads in the state.