Chris Pappas is the sitting U.S. Representative for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, and as of September 2026 he’s one half of a closely watched Senate race that could help decide which party controls the chamber. Here’s what’s confirmed about his age, background, career and family, plus the latest on where his Senate campaign stands right now.
Background: Who Is Chris Pappas and Why Is He Trending?
Christopher Charles Pappas was born on June 4, 1980, in Manchester, New Hampshire, making him 46 years old as of this writing. He’s a Democrat who has represented New Hampshire’s 1st District in the U.S. House since January 2019, currently serving his fourth term. Before Congress, he spent years in New Hampshire state government and helped run his family’s well-known Manchester restaurant, the Puritan Backroom.
People are searching his name right now because of a major career move: after longtime Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen announced she would not seek re-election, Pappas jumped into the race to succeed her. He’s spent 2026 campaigning for the Democratic nomination, and that race just reached a turning point.
Latest Update
As of September 9, 2026, here is what’s currently known.
Pappas won the New Hampshire Democratic Senate primary on September 8, 2026, defeating Karishma Manzur, a democratic socialist and medical scientist making her first run for office, along with several minor candidates. Multiple outlets, including NBC News and CBS News, called the race for Pappas shortly after polls closed, with him taking roughly 62 percent of the vote to Manzur’s 36 percent.
On the same night, former Republican Senator John Sununu won his own primary, defeating former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown. That sets up a general-election matchup between Pappas and Sununu for the seat Shaheen is vacating after three terms. Sununu previously served in the Senate from 2003 to 2009 and comes from a prominent New Hampshire political family — his father and brother both served as governor.
Key date: September 8, 2026 — Chris Pappas wins the New Hampshire Democratic Senate primary, setting up a general election against Republican John Sununu in November 2026.
Political analysts are already describing the general election as one of the most competitive and expensive Senate races of the cycle, since it could factor into which party holds the Senate majority. Early campaign messaging shows Pappas focusing on cost-of-living issues, while outside Republican groups have already begun running ads criticizing his voting record. No results from the general election exist yet — that vote hasn’t happened. Any claim about a November outcome at this point is speculation, not fact.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Pappas grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, in a Greek-American family that has run the Puritan Backroom restaurant for generations. The business traces back to an ice cream shop his family opened after his great-grandfather emigrated from Greece in the early 1900s; a rear dining room, later known as the Puritan Backroom, was added in 1974. Pappas became a co-owner of the restaurant as an adult, working there before and during parts of his political career.
Some biography sites name his parents as Arthur and Dawn Pappas. His father’s connection to the family restaurant is well documented, but the specific parental names come from secondary biography sites rather than a major outlet or an official source, so they should be treated as reported rather than fully confirmed.
Career Path
Pappas’s path to Congress started early. He was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2002 and served two terms, through 2006. He then served as Treasurer of Hillsborough County from 2007 to 2011, followed by three terms on the New Hampshire Executive Council, a state body that oversees major government contracts and appointments, from 2013 to 2019.
He first won election to the U.S. House in 2018 and has been re-elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024. In Congress, he has served on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Veterans’ Affairs, and he co-chairs the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. He is stepping away from his House seat to run for the Senate seat Shaheen is vacating.
Age
Pappas was born June 4, 1980, making him 46 years old as of September 2026. This is confirmed by his official congressional biography and Wikipedia.
Religion
No major news source or official biography reviewed for this article states Pappas’s religious affiliation directly. Given his Greek heritage, some readers assume a connection to the Greek Orthodox Church, but that has not been confirmed through a reliable source, so his religion is listed here as unconfirmed rather than assumed.
Spouse/Partner
Pappas is married to Vann Bentley; the couple wed in 2023. Pappas made history in 2018 as the first openly gay man elected to represent New Hampshire in Congress, and if he wins his Senate race, he would become the first openly gay man to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Net Worth
The most reliable figure available comes from OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan organization that tracks politicians’ financial disclosures. It estimated Pappas’s net worth at roughly $2.57 million based on his 2018 disclosure filing, with holdings tied to the family’s Puritan Confectionery business and a real estate interest. That figure is now several years old, and more recent unofficial estimates online vary widely and are not independently verifiable. Treat any current net-worth number beyond the 2018 disclosure as an estimate, not a confirmed figure.
Parents
As noted above, secondary sources identify his parents as Arthur and Dawn Pappas, with Arthur’s family credited with founding the Puritan Backroom restaurant. This has not been verified through a major news outlet or Pappas’s official biography, so it’s presented here as reported information rather than an established fact.
Height
No official or news source reviewed for this profile lists Pappas’s height. It is unconfirmed.
Education
Pappas earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University in 2002. This is confirmed by his official House biography and multiple independent sources.
Hometown/State of Origin
Pappas is a lifelong resident of Manchester, New Hampshire, where he was born and still lives. He is frequently described in campaign materials as a “product of Manchester public schools.”
Official Social Media and Website
Pappas’s official House website is pappas.house.gov, and his Senate campaign site is chrispappas.org. Both are verified, official sources for his public statements and platform.
Verified fact: Chris Pappas is confirmed by Congress.gov and his official House biography as the sitting representative for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District since January 2019.
Quick Facts Table
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Charles Pappas |
| Date of birth | June 4, 1980 |
| Age | 46 (as of September 2026) |
| Hometown | Manchester, New Hampshire |
| Education | Harvard University, BA in Government (2002) |
| Current role | U.S. Representative, NH-1 (2019–present) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Vann Bentley (married 2023) |
| 2026 Senate primary result | Won Democratic nomination, defeating Karishma Manzur, ~62%–36% |
| General election opponent | John Sununu (Republican), November 2026 |
| Net worth | ~$2.57 million (2018 disclosure estimate; current figure unconfirmed) |
| Religion | Unconfirmed |
| Height | Unconfirmed |
| Official website | pappas.house.gov / chrispappas.org |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Who is Chris Pappas?
Chris Pappas is a Democratic U.S. Representative from New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, serving since 2019. He’s currently running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen.
How old is Chris Pappas?
Pappas was born June 4, 1980, making him 46 years old as of September 2026. His age is confirmed through his official congressional biography.
Did Chris Pappas win his Senate primary?
Yes. Pappas won the New Hampshire Democratic Senate primary on September 8, 2026, defeating Karishma Manzur by roughly 62% to 36%. He now advances to the general election against Republican John Sununu.
Who is Chris Pappas’s husband?
Pappas is married to Vann Bentley; they wed in 2023. Pappas is the first openly gay man to represent New Hampshire in Congress.
What is Chris Pappas’s net worth?
The most reliable public estimate, from OpenSecrets’ analysis of his 2018 financial disclosure, put his net worth around $2.57 million. More recent totals are not independently confirmed, so treat newer figures found online with caution.
What did Chris Pappas do before politics?
Before and alongside his political career, Pappas was a co-owner of his family’s restaurant, the Puritan Backroom, in Manchester, New Hampshire. He entered elected office in 2002 as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Who is Chris Pappas running against in the general election?
Pappas will face Republican John Sununu, a former U.S. Senator, in the November 2026 general election. The race is considered one of the most competitive Senate contests of the cycle.
Wrap-Up
Chris Pappas has spent more than two decades moving steadily through New Hampshire politics, from the state legislature to county government to the U.S. House, and now to a Senate campaign that could help decide which party controls that chamber. His win in the September 2026 Democratic primary confirms he heads into the general election as his party’s nominee, but the outcome of the Senate race itself is still undecided.
What makes this race worth watching is less about Pappas’s biography and more about what it represents: an open seat in a swing state, a well-known opponent with deep political roots, and a contest that both parties are treating as a priority. Readers searching his name right now are mostly looking for confirmation of the primary results and a sense of what comes next — and right now, what comes next is a general election campaign that will run through November 2026.
As with any active campaign, expect new developments — debates, ad spending, and shifting polling — in the weeks ahead. This article reflects verified information as of September 9, 2026, and will need updating as the general election unfolds.
Thomas Andrew is the founder of Odubio.com, a digital platform sharing inspiring biographies, news, and stories about global icons and achievers.