NH-01: Three Seacoast Democrats lead the way in NH US House race
A military veteran with a previous unsuccessful bid for Congress, the daughter of a household name in New Hampshire politics, and a Harvard University professor — all Democrats — are the first to jump in the 2026 race for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
Maura Sullivan, a Marine Corps veteran and former Obama administration staffer, became the first candidate to join the race in April. Former Portsmouth City Councilor Stefany Shaheen, who is the daughter of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, followed late last month. On June 4, Carleigh Beriont, who teaches at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and serves on Hampton’s select board, announced her campaign. No Republican has officially entered the race yet.
The district, which has been in Democratic hands for nearly a decade, is being closely watched to see whether a Republican can flip it or whether it’s become a Democratic stronghold.
Sullivan, Shaheen, and Beriont are vying to represent the eastern half of New Hampshire, including Manchester, the state’s largest city; the Seacoast cities of Portsmouth, Dover, and Exeter; and parts of the Lakes Region, including Laconia. Chris Pappas has represented the 1st District since 2018, but it became an open contest in April when Pappas announced a run for the Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen.
https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/06/15/three-seacoast-democrats-nh-us-house-race-1st-district/84129410007/