Chris Pappas Bio
Christopher Charles Pappas (born June 4, 1980) is an American politician who has represented New Hampshire’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the first openly gay man to represent New Hampshire in Congress. He is also a co-owner of the Puritan Backroom, a well-known family restaurant in Manchester that has hosted many presidential primary candidates over the years.
Before joining Congress, Pappas served on the New Hampshire Executive Council from 2013 to 2019 and earlier in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, while also working as Hillsborough County treasurer. In April 2025, he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen, expanding his political reach beyond the House.
Early Life and Background
Christopher Charles Pappas was born on June 4, 1980, in Manchester, New Hampshire, the son of Dawn Pappas and Arthur Pappas. His paternal great-grandfather, also named Arthur Pappas, arrived in New Hampshire in the early 20th century as a new American citizen after emigrating from Greece. In 1917, that great-grandfather and his cousin Louis Canota founded an ice cream shop in Manchester that grew into the Puritan Backroom restaurant, a family business that remains in operation today.
The family’s connection to food and community work continued when Charlie Pappas, Chris’s grandfather, co-owned the Puritan Backroom and in 1974 invented the chicken tender. Pappas grew up immersed in the restaurant, which shaped his lifelong ties to Manchester and to the wider New Hampshire community.
Pappas graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1998. He then attended Harvard College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government in 2002. While at Harvard, he wrote for The Harvard Crimson, gaining early experience in research, writing, and public affairs.
Path to US Politics
Pappas’s first direct step into politics came in 1996, when, as a high school student, he met Jeanne Shaheen, then a state senator and the Democratic nominee for governor. He signed on as a volunteer for her campaign, beginning what would become a long relationship with New Hampshire’s Democratic politics.
After graduating from Harvard in 2002, Pappas returned to Manchester and won a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives that same year. He served two terms in the state House, building a record on local issues, before being elected treasurer of Hillsborough County. He lost a bid for a third term as county treasurer in 2010, an early setback that did not slow his rise.
In 2012, Pappas was elected to the New Hampshire Executive Council from the 4th district, defeating his former rival Bob Burns. He was reelected to the council in 2014 and again in 2016, establishing himself as a steady vote getter in the state. Those state-level wins set the stage for his move to federal office in 2018.
Chris Pappas Career
Early Career (2002–2012)
Chris Pappas began his elected political career in 2002, when he won a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. He served two terms, focusing on constituent service in his Manchester district and learning the legislative process from the ground up.
After his time in the state House, Pappas served as Hillsborough County treasurer, a position he held until a 2010 loss to Bob Burns. The defeat pushed him back into private life briefly, but he returned to politics in 2012 by winning a seat on the New Hampshire Executive Council.
Breakthrough (2018–2019)
When U.S. representative Carol Shea-Porter announced she would not seek reelection in 2018, Pappas entered the race for New Hampshire’s 1st congressional district. He won a crowded Democratic primary that included ten other candidates, finishing with 42.2 percent of the vote. Among his primary opponents were Maura Sullivan and Levi Sanders, the son of Senator Bernie Sanders.
In the 2018 general election, Pappas faced Republican Eddie Edwards, a former police chief, and won with 53.6 percent of the vote. He carried every county in the district except Belknap County, a strong debut that made him the first openly gay man to represent New Hampshire in Congress.
Democratic Party Era (2019–Present)
Since taking office in January 2019, Pappas has built a reputation as a pragmatic Democrat who reaches across the aisle. The Lugar Center ranked him the most bipartisan Democrat and the third most bipartisan member of the House overall in 2023. He has served on committees dealing with key policy areas and has been a visible voice on civil rights, public safety, and economic issues affecting his district.
Pappas has won reelection three times since his first victory. In 2020, he defeated Republican Matt Mowers with 51.32 percent of the vote. In 2022, he won a third term by defeating Karoline Leavitt with 54 percent of the vote. In 2024, he secured a fourth term by defeating Republican Russell Prescott, a former state senator, by 32,641 votes after a primary in which he took 95.2 percent of the Democratic vote.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Pappas’s signature moments, his 2018 victory stands out as a historic first, making him the first openly gay man to represent New Hampshire in Congress. His bipartisan ranking from the Lugar Center in 2023 and his decision to launch a 2026 U.S. Senate campaign in April 2025 mark further milestones in a career that bridges local, state, and national service.
Chris Pappas Career Wins
Chris Pappas has compiled a steady record of electoral wins at the state and federal levels, anchored by his long-running connection to Manchester and his broad appeal in a politically mixed district. His victories span the New Hampshire House of Representatives, the Hillsborough County treasurer’s office, the Executive Council, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
US House of Representatives Highlights
Pappas has won four consecutive U.S. House races in New Hampshire’s 1st congressional district, beginning with his 2018 victory over Eddie Edwards. He followed that with wins over Matt Mowers in 2020, Karoline Leavitt in 2022, and Russell Prescott in 2024, demonstrating consistent strength in a district that includes Manchester, the Seacoast, and the Lakes Region.
Other Wins and Achievements
Before his federal career, Pappas won two terms in the New Hampshire House of Representatives starting in 2002, served as Hillsborough County treasurer, and won three terms on the New Hampshire Executive Council in 2012, 2014, and 2016. He also appeared on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on October 10, 2011, winning $17,500 for charity.
Chris Pappas Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Pappas was raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, by his mother, Dawn Pappas, and his father, Arthur Pappas. His Greek immigrant great-grandfather, also named Arthur Pappas, co-founded what became the Puritan Backroom restaurant in Manchester in 1917. His grandfather, Charlie Pappas, invented the chicken tender at the family restaurant in 1974, and the business remains in family hands, with Chris Pappas serving as one of the owners.
Personal Life
Pappas is openly gay and an Orthodox Christian affiliated with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He married Vann Bentley in February 2023, and the couple lives in Manchester, New Hampshire. In April 2025, Pappas announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen, signaling the next chapter in his political career.