As part of The Dartmouth’s coverage of the upcoming 2026 midterm and gubernatorial elections, the paper is launching a new interview series, “A Sit-Down with The Dartmouth,” featuring in-depth conversations with major national and statewide candidates in New Hampshire.
In the third installment of the series, The Dartmouth interviewed Carleigh Beriont, a Democratic candidate for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. Beriont serves as vice chair of the Hampton Select Board and has previously taught public policy and religion at Harvard University, where she earned her Ph.D. in the study of religion. A former assistant director of undergraduate studies at Harvard College, Beriont has centered her campaign on affordability, public education and rebuilding trust in government.
In an interview conducted at the offices of The Dartmouth, Beriont discussed why she is running for Congress, her policy priorities and how she would represent a politically diverse district.
You are running for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st District. Why is this the right moment for you to run, and what do you see as the single most urgent problem the next representative must confront first?
CB: I think the single most urgent problem is trust. Among a lot of Democrats, there’s a lack of trust in the party and its leaders. Among independents, there’s a lack of trust in either party. And among Republicans, there’s a lack of trust that Democrats will do things that make their lives better.
To tackle problems like making housing, energy, child care and health care more affordable, people need to trust that their leaders are actually fighting for them. As for “why now?”: Things feel like they’re falling apart. Right now feels like the moment to step up and work with people to bring about the kind of change that we want to see.
What federal policies would improve economic opportunities for Granite Staters?
CB: Health care is something a lot of people are struggling with — whether they’re spending hours on the phone with insurance companies trying to get coverage that they thought was included or helping grandparents in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Health care is also a huge portion of municipal budgets. Universal health care would make a real difference in local property taxes, which are a major expense for people here.
What federal reforms do you support to address border security while accounting for New Hampshire’s labor needs?
CB: I’ve spoken with many business owners who are worried about keeping their businesses open because they can’t find enough workers. We need a fair immigration system that gives people who have lived in this country their whole lives a path to citizenship. We need a functioning process for asylum and refugee seekers. And we need a plan for border security. Saying ‘no’ to everyone isn’t a plan.
What role should the federal government play in shaping New Hampshire’s energy future?
CB: Energy should be renewable, readily available and reliable. What I hear most is how much people’s bills have gone up and how volatile energy costs have become. The federal government can help people weatherize their homes and incentivize mini-splits and solar panels. We used to see much more support for that, but a lot of it has been pulled back.
I serve in local government, and we’ve been planning to install solar panels on our capped town landfill. Everyone supports it because it would lower municipal energy bills and property taxes. But incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act expired, and now it’s a much harder sell. Restoring those kinds of supports is something the federal government should be doing.
How do you balance progressive priorities like affordability and climate action with fiscal responsibility?
CB: Budgets reflect our values. Everything should be on the table — where we invest, where we cut spending and what outcomes we expect. I do think the deficit is a real problem. I don’t want my kids paying interest forever. That said, many progressive policies wouldn’t actually balloon the deficit. People ask how we’d pay for universal health care, but when you look at what we already spend on Medicaid, bureaucracy and administration, a lot of that money could be reallocated.
Are there any issues where you would break with Democratic leadership?
CB: I support policies that don’t yet have universal backing within the party, like Medicare for All and “back-from-the-brink” legislation that would ensure no single person, including President Donald Trump, has unilateral authority to launch nuclear weapons. When you listen to people across the district, you don’t start by asking what party they belong to. You ask what they care about. People want to be safe, afford to live here and cool down the tone of our politics.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
