As part of The Dartmouth’s coverage of the upcoming 2026 midterm and gubernatorial elections, the paper is publishing an interview series, “A Sit-Down with The Dartmouth,” featuring in-depth conversations with candidates for state-wide and New Hampshire district positions.
In this installment, The Dartmouth spoke with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Pappas, who has represented New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District since 2019, entered the Senate race as an early front-runner, according to a January poll by the University of New Hampshire. Shaheen has endorsed Pappas for the seat.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Pappas discussed his voting record and his plans to improve affordability for New Hampshire residents.
Why leave a relatively secure House seat for the Senate, and why now?
CP: I love New Hampshire, and I think we need a leader in the Senate who will stand up for New Hampshire first. This is a real gut-check moment for our democracy — how we stand up to a reckless president, confront corporate special interests and turn the page from a chaotic, dysfunctional era in our politics. I believe my experience and connection to communities across the state position me to do that.
You have built a reputation as a pragmatic Democrat. In this moment, do voters want pragmatism or confrontation?
CP: I’m incredibly angry about what’s happening in our country. This president is running roughshod over the law and the Constitution. We need basic checks and balances restored and to stand up to overreach, whether that’s on immigration, health care or tariffs that are raising costs in real time.
What keeps me hopeful is that people are engaged. They’re speaking out, and they’re going to shape the 2026 elections. But the Democrats need to take back majorities in Congress to be fully effective.
You have made affordability central to your campaign. What would you do first to lower costs?
CP: The cost-of-living crisis is hitting families across New Hampshire. People are working harder than ever, but the middle class is slipping out of reach. We need to make the economy fairer. For me, that means focusing on housing, health care and energy costs. We should build more housing, support first-time homebuyers with tax credits and lower energy bills through both clean energy development and direct relief. And we need to confront tariffs that are increasing costs for families.
Housing is a major pressure point. What can the federal government actually do?
CP: This is fundamentally a supply problem. We need to incentivize communities to build more housing and use federal tools more effectively, whether that’s tax credits or housing vouchers. We also need to build housing that works for the workforce, not just retirees. Home prices have risen dramatically, and it’s unsustainable. We need to make building faster and more efficient while supporting renters and buyers who are struggling.
What is your near-term plan to lower health care costs?
CP: We need to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. More than 40,000 New Hampshire families saw costs spike when those expired. We also need to reverse Medicaid cuts that will harm care, especially in rural areas.
Longer term, we need a public option and stronger accountability for insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Drug prices are too high, and people are forced to make impossible choices. That has to change.
You have criticized U.S. strikes on Iran. What does strength mean in foreign policy right now?
CP: Strength means working with allies and using diplomacy first. This war hasn’t been clearly explained to the American people, and Congress has not been properly involved. We’ve already lost American lives and are spending enormous resources without clear objectives. That’s unacceptable. Congress must assert its role before we slide into another prolonged conflict.
You supported the Laken Riley Act, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting. Was that the right vote?
CP: That case was a horrific crime, and public safety matters. Violent offenders who are here unlawfully should be deported. But this administration has gone far beyond that. We’re seeing mass deportation efforts that sweep up people with legal status and proposals for detention systems that I don’t believe make us safer. We should enforce the law while protecting our values.
Finally, what should voters understand about you that they might not see?
CP: Constituent service is the most important part of this job. Even when you can’t pass legislation, you can help someone. We brought broadband to the rural northern New Hampshire town of Sandwich that had never had access before. That didn’t make headlines, but it mattered. I come from a small business background, and I try to bring that same sense of service and responsibility to this work every day.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
