Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) has triumphed over Karoline Leavitt, the Republican who was seeking to become the youngest American to be elected to U.S. Congress since 1797, in the race to represent New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
Pappas, 52, will serve another term representing the district after receiving 54 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press, which called the race along with DecisionDeskHQ. With about 80 percent of precincts reporting, Leavitt had 46 percent.
“Thank you, New Hampshire! You sent a clear and powerful message: Granite Staters want leaders in Congress who work together to find common purpose and use common sense,” Pappas said in a statement. “I’m honored to have earned your trust for another two years. Now, back to work.”
Leavitt, a former White House aide to ex-President Donald Trump, has not yet responded to the race calls.
The St. Anselm’s College grad who was barely voting aging when Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, is a pro-Trump GOPer who wanted to help flip the House of Representatives but fell short.
Pappas will retain the seat representing the district that covers Manchester, the state’s most populous city, and its affluent seacoast.
Leavitt had called out Pappas for voting in favor of $5.5 trillion worth of government spending over the next two years and had taken a strong position against Biden’s open borders, calling for zero tolerance for illegal immigration and resuming the construction of Trump’s wall.
Pappas in his campaign pointed to supporting the government stimulus packages, including the American Rescue Plan, and how he’s tried to expand access to universal preschool and lower the cost of prescription drugs.
Pappas won election in 2020 with 51 percent of the vote, narrowly beating Republican Matt Mowers, who also worked in the Trump administration.
Leavitt defeated Mowers in the Republican primary earlier this year.
In 2018, Pappas trumped Republican Eddie Edwards, receiving 53.6 percent of the vote. Pappas won the race for the open seat after former Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) decided not to run for another term. Shea-Porter had taken down incumbent Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) in 2016.
