Former Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire’s Democratic Senate primary Monday, eight days before voters head to the polls. Pappas, the best-known Democrat in the race, praised Harris for standing “tall for democracy” and called her “committed to making this country fairer and freer for all.”
The endorsement adds Harris to a growing list of supporters backing Pappas, including labor unions and abortion-rights groups across the Granite State. New Hampshire holds its Senate primary on September 8.
Harris Picks Winners in Democratic Primaries
Harris has waded into several 2026 races, backing Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia and Abdul el Sayed in Michigan’s Senate contest. The endorsements signal her continued involvement in Democratic politics two years after her 2024 presidential defeat.
But not all Democrats want her help. Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola rejected an unsolicited fundraising email from Harris’s Fight for the People PAC. Iowa Senate hopeful Josh Turek told Harris to stay away from his campaign last week, and Iowa’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand echoed that sentiment.
New Hampshire Senate Race Takes Shape
The endorsement comes as Pappas faces other Democratic challengers for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat. Primary voters will decide September 8 which Democrat will compete in the general election for a seat Republicans hope to flip.
Pappas represents New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District and has built a moderate profile in the House. His campaign now banks on Harris’s endorsement carrying weight with Democratic primary voters in a state that has swung between parties in recent presidential elections.
The mixed reception to Harris endorsements across the country reflects divisions within the Democratic Party heading into the 2026 midterms. Some candidates embrace her national profile while others calculate that distance from Washington figures plays better with voters back home.
Key Points
- Kamala Harris endorsed Rep. Chris Pappas eight days before New Hampshire’s September 8 Senate primary
- Other Democrats including Alaska’s Mary Peltola and Iowa’s Josh Turek have rejected Harris campaign involvement
- The split reception shows Democrats divided on whether national figures help or hurt in 2026 midterms
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4706045/kamala-harris-endorses-chris-pappas-new-hampshire-senate-race/ – August 31, 2026
