Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) is amping up primary advertising in his race to be New Hampshire’s next senator after a new poll showed his socialist challenger nipping at his heels.
Democratic socialist and activist Karishma Manzur is contesting four-term Rep. Pappas’ bid for Senate. A University of New Hampshire poll released in August shows Pappas’ previous 43-point lead over Manzur narrowing to just 13 points headed into September.
‘Pappas is a corporate shill who supports the war machine, so it’s no surprise that special interests are trying to buy this seat.’
Data from advertising firm AdImpact released on Tuesday shows Pappas recently cut his general election spending and added to his primary campaign ad-spend. Pappas and Manzur will face off for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday.
Pappas added $68,000 in advertising between September 1 and 7, according to AdImpact data reviewed by Blaze News. That $68,000 is spread between broadcast, cable, and radio, with most reserved for broadcast spots. The last-minute ad-spend brings his primary-period total to $3.18 million, according to AdImpact.
The same data found Pappas canceled $37,000 from a September 8 through 14 advertisement reservation, which would have immediately followed the primary election. The cut leaves Pappas’ slated general-election ad-spend at $7.73 million, according to the firm.
“Chris Pappas’ hypocrisy is evident. He talks about getting big money out of politics, then turns around and takes bribes from special interests,” a Manzur campaign spokesperson told Blaze News, referencing the pro-Israel PACs supporting Pappas’ campaign. “He talks about standing up to Netanyahu, yet he has voted to send billions of our tax dollars to support Netanyahu’s war.”
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In the UNH poll, Manzur led among self-proclaimed socialist voters and performed strongly with younger Democrats. Pappas maintained his support from moderates, liberals, and voters over 50.
“Pappas is a corporate shill who supports the war machine, so it’s no surprise that special interests are trying to buy this seat,” the Manzur spokesperson said. “That’s exactly why I’m surging in the polls: People are sick and tired of business-as-usual politicians like Pappas who serve their wealthy donors.”
In contrast to UNH projections, Pappas’ internal polling shows him winning in a landslide. Seventy-one percent of primary voters are currently committed to Pappas, compared to just 15% for Manzur, according to late-August polling the congressman’s campaign first shared with Semafor.
Despite that bullish outlook, Pappas has moved to shore up his left flank after Manzur characterized him as her “AIPAC-funded opponent” and framed establishment Democrats as “controlled opposition.”
“Chris Pappas, who voted for the Laken Riley Act and the resolution to honor Charlie Kirk, is about as middle-of-the-road Democrat as you can get,” New Hampshire Journal managing editor Michael Graham told Blaze News. “At least, he was until a few months ago.”
Pappas voted present on a July amendment to cut $3.3 billion in U.S. military aid to Israel, but previously voted yes on multiple pro-Israel bills and resolutions, including the 2024 Israel Security Supplemental and the censure of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
“Enacting it [the amendment] would hamstring our humanitarian efforts in the region by limiting funding for programs that support Palestinian economic development and peace-building efforts between Israelis and Palestinians,” Pappas said after the amendment vote. “It would also weaken our ability to combat Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations that threaten Americans and our allies.”
The eventual Democratic nominee is poised to meet former Republican New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu in November. Sununu is the favorite in the Republican Senate primary, but he has to beat former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown on Tuesday.
The UNH poll shows Sununu leading Pappas 45% to 43% in a general election matchup.
“It’s extremely unlikely that the New Hampshire Democratic Party — the party of Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, and Chris Pappas — is going to nominate a full-blown DSA member who wants to abolish ICE and arrest Netanyahu,” Graham told Blaze News.
“New Hampshire Democrats haven’t nominated a true progressive since Carol Shea-Porter in 2006. It’s unlikely to happen this year,” Graham said. “But the fact that it COULD is a sign of how weak and out of step the Pappas candidacy is.”
Pappas raised $15.4 million through August 19 compared to Manzur’s $415,000, according to FEC filings.
Pappas did not respond to a request for comment.
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Democratic socialist, Establishment democrats, New hampshire, Senate race, Politics
