New Hampshire Primaries Expose Establishment Grip as Progressives Challenge Corporate Power
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New Hampshire voters face a critical choice as entrenched establishment figures, backed by corporate interests and right-wing forces like Trump, attempt to maintain control of Senate and House seats. Progressive challengers, including Karishma Manzur and Paige Beauchemin, push for transformative policies such as Medicare for All, confronting the Democratic Party’s complicity in militarism and the GOP’s reactionary agenda.
Voters in New Hampshire are heading to the polls for primary contests that could reshape the state’s Senate and House races ahead of the 2024 general election. The Republican establishment, desperate to cling to power, has rallied behind former Senator John Sununu, who is endorsed by the far-right President Donald Trump. Sununu, a scion of a political dynasty, seeks the GOP nomination for the Senate seat vacated by retiring Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. His main opponent, former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown—another Trump loyalist who served as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa—represents the same old politics that have failed working people.
On the Democratic side, Representative Chris Pappas, who has held the 1st Congressional District since 2018, is the establishment’s favored candidate for the Senate nomination. However, he faces a principled challenge from Karishma Manzur, a scientist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Manzur boldly advocates for Medicare for All and has rightfully condemned Pappas for enabling U.S. complicity in Israel’s ongoing atrocities, accusing him of ‘enabling genocide’ through his support and funding for the Israeli military.
The Republican primary is a showcase of elite power, with Sununu enjoying the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Sununu’s previous tenure in the Senate (2003–2008) and his family’s political legacy highlight the stranglehold of dynastic politics in New Hampshire.
In the House races, the 1st District seat vacated by Pappas has drawn a crowded field. Establishment Democrats like former Marine Maura Sullivan and health advocate Stefany Shaheen are positioning themselves as safe bets for corporate donors, while progressive voices such as Army National Guard officer Christian Urrutia and union organizer Carleigh Beriont are running on platforms that prioritize working people over profit.
The Republican primary features auto businessman Anthony DiLorenzo, another Trump-endorsed candidate, facing off against state Representative Brian Cole and veteran Hollie Noveletsky, all of whom toe the party line and offer little hope for real change.
In the 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Maggie Goodlander is being challenged by state Representative Paige Beauchemin, who is running on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and calls for stricter regulation of data centers and artificial intelligence. Despite raising less money and lacking establishment support, Beauchemin’s campaign represents the grassroots struggle against the corporate-dominated status quo.
“Trump backed Sununu, who also has support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee,” the article notes, underscoring the GOP’s reliance on elite endorsements.
“Manzur has sharply criticized Pappas over support and funding for Israel, saying he is ‘enabling genocide,’” the piece reports, highlighting the urgent need for moral leadership in the Democratic Party.
As polls close between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time, New Hampshire’s primaries will determine whether establishment power prevails or if progressives can break through to offer real hope for working people and marginalized communities.