MANCHESTER, N.H. – Just a few hours after he was officially re-nominated as the Democratic Party’s nominee, incumbent Congressman Chris Pappas hoped to tout his popularity with Republicans and Independents as well with the announcement of a new supporter group.
In a morning event at Stark Park, Pappas shared the unveiling of his campaign’s “Country over Party” Coalition alongside Republicans Betty Tamposi (New Castle) and Claire Monier (Goffstown) as well as former Republican Jameson French (Porstmouth)
Monier, widow of former New Hampshire Senate President Robert Monier, served in the Reagan Administration and was the New Hampshire Co-Chair for the 2012 Presidential Campaign of Rick Santorum (R-Penn.). She praised Pappas for his support of local charities over the years as well as his work through the operation of the Puritan Restaurant.
“Chris has deep roots, his family has deep roots, decades of membership in this community,” said Monier. “He understands we need to work; he understands we need to protect our taxes. We need to move on from what we have now, we need to unify on basic principles.”
Like Monier, Tamposi also worked for a Republican president, serving as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs for George H.W. Bush after serving several terms as a state representative. Unlike Monier, Tamposi’s comments were geared toward the Trump Administration and its response toward COVID-19 and other issues.
“Everyone on their own, that’s the Trump way. Anyone that abides this President, and Chris’ opponent is a big supporter of this President, anyone that abides him is not worthy or deserving to stand in as our leader in Washington,” said Tamposi. “We need reasonableness, we need people who are going to roll up their sleeves and we need someone with deep, deep roots here in New Hampshire and that’s Chris Pappas.”
French, President and CEO of Northland Forest Products in Kingston, says he left the Republican Party in 2016 as the Republican Party “left him behind.”
“I’m really tired as many Independents and former Republicans such as me of all the divisive rhetoric, offensive rhetoric that has been coming out over the past few years. Chris is the opposite of that,” said French. “Chris is smart, he listens, and he instinctually brings people together.”
The initiative continued a narrative repeated by Pappas in recent weeks, highlighted by Pappas’ noting that he has partnered with Republicans on 16 of the 34 bills he has introduced in his first term in Congress and has also co-sponsored 69 Republican bills, six of which have been signed into law by the President.
In a separate press conference later in the day, Pappas’ opponent and Republican nominee Matt Mowers stated that Pappas’ claims of bipartisanship clashed with his voting record in Washington, noting that Pappas has voted with Democratic Party leadership in the House almost all the time.
“Whenever (Pappas) returns to Manchester, he whispers sweet nothings, but when it comes to the rhetoric, Chris Pappas’ words don’t match the record,” said Mowers.
