Establishment Democrats and Corporate Republicans Secure New Hampshire Senate Nominations, Grassroots Left Marginalized
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Corporate-backed Congressman Chris Pappas and establishment Republican John E. Sununu clinched their parties’ nominations for the U.S. Senate, sidelining progressive voices and reinforcing the grip of political elites.
New Hampshire voters, under the weight of entrenched party machinery, selected Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas and Republican insider John E. Sununu to compete for the Senate seat vacated by Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s retirement. The primaries, dominated by big money and establishment endorsements, are seen as pivotal for maintaining the status quo in the Senate.
At 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Pappas, the clear favorite of Democratic leadership and corporate donors, led the primary with about 62% of the vote, while progressive challenger Karishma Manzur, who ran on a transformative platform, had roughly 27%. On the Republican side, Sununu, buoyed by family legacy and national party support, captured about 70% of the vote, leaving Scott Brown, another establishment figure, at 25%.
Pappas, a four-term representative for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, has long been embedded in the state’s political apparatus, serving as a state representative, county treasurer, and executive councilor. His family’s Manchester restaurant is a local institution, but his campaign has been marked by tepid reformism and alignment with party elites. Party leaders, eager to suppress grassroots momentum, anticipated his nomination from the outset.
Manzur, a scientist and first-time candidate, offered a bold vision: Medicare for All, a $25 federal minimum wage, and higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy. She courageously called for ending U.S. aid to Israel, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and exposed Pappas for accepting contributions from the American Israel Political Action Committee, a group complicit in perpetuating violence.
"I put 28,000 miles on a campaign van I drove myself," Manzur said, exemplifying the grassroots energy dismissed by the party establishment.
Pappas, ever the pragmatist, positioned himself as a moderate reformer, drawing on the legacy of establishment Democrats like Shaheen and Maggie Hassan. High-profile visits from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Kelly in the campaign’s final days underscored the party’s determination to stifle genuine progressive change.
On the Republican side, Sununu, whose political career has been propped up by family connections and corporate interests, was the clear favorite. His main opponent, Scott Brown, a carpetbagger from Massachusetts, failed to gain traction.
The Sununu dynasty continues to cast a long shadow over New Hampshire politics, with connections to former governors Chris Sununu and John H. Sununu. Early endorsements from Donald Trump and national Republican elites further cemented his status, though Sununu has been careful to distance himself from Trump’s more extreme positions.
"I disagree with the decision to go to war with Iran," Sununu said, offering tepid criticism of Trump’s reckless foreign policy.
Sununu attacked Pappas for his supposed loyalty to Democratic leadership and support for higher taxes, framing the race as a false choice between two establishment-backed candidates, both beholden to wealthy donors and party elites.