Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) appears to have violated a city’s policies barring the use of government employees and equipment for political activity in his campaign announcement for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat.
The fourth-term congressman’s Senate campaign launch video, published last week, features firefighters and firemen from the city of Manchester, New Hampshire, a move that is at odds with the city’s stated policies on political activities.
The early stumble for Pappas comes in a race that national Republicans are expected to pour millions of dollars into for a chance to expand their Senate majority in the 2026 midterm elections. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is retiring from the seat at the conclusion of her third term, a blow to Democrats that could create an opening for the GOP.
Senate Republicans mounted their first effort to redefine Pappas with an opposition website casting him as an out-of-touch, far-left ideologue even before he made his candidacy official.
The apparent misuse of taxpayer-funded personnel and equipment is depicted when Pappas is shown speaking with uniformed Manchester firefighters in separate clips, one of which also includes a city firetruck. Manchester prohibits city employees, which includes the fire department, from engaging in political activities.
“The City does not permit the use of any City equipment or materials for any political activities,” its policy states. It also states that city employees “must remain impartial in conducting City business and shall not give preferential treatment to any person, group or organization.”
The Pappas campaign and the city of Manchester did not respond to requests for comment. The House district he represents includes Manchester.
Pappas was endorsed in past House races by the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, the state’s largest firefighters union. Labor groups and private associations can endorse whom they please but cannot use government resources to do so, including filming at a firehouse. Such political activity could run afoul of the Hatch Act, which prohibits engaging in political activities on-the-job for federal employees, as well as many state and local police and fire departments that receive federal funding. The Manchester Fire Department received $3.7 million in federal funds in September 2024 to hire additional firefighters, an announcement that Pappas celebrated.
“Clearly, governments can’t endorse candidates,” said Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist for the progressive advocacy group Public Citizen. “He should take very good notes of the local city laws when it comes to the use of government resources for campaign purposes.”
“This is a rather easy line of distinction to live by,” Holman added.
Although early in the race, the contest took its latest turn this week when popular former Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu declined to launch a bid, once again dashing the GOP’s perennial hopes for him to run for Senate. Sununu’s announcement was a boon for Scott Brown, another possible Republican recruit who served Massachusetts in the Senate and was U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during President Donald Trump’s first term.
SENATE DEMOCRATS SEE HOPE FOR MIDTERMS WITH 2024 DOWNBALLOT RESULTS
Nonpartisan election forecasters give Democrats a slight edge to retain the seat. In a recent campaign memo, Senate Republicans cited internal polling to make the case that the Granite State is a toss-up.
Pappas could face primary challengers but is so far the only candidate vying for his party’s nomination. According to his voting record, he is one of the House’s most centrist and bipartisan Democrats.
