US midterm elections: Chris Pappas keeps his New Hampshire seat

The winner in the 1st District of New Hampshire was Greek-American Chris Pappas, with the Democratic congressman prevailing over his Republican opponent, Karoline Leavitt.

Chris Pappas, New Hampshire’s first openly gay member of Congress, has represented this district since 2019.

Pappas’ opponent, Leavitt, 25, is a former assistant press secretary for the Trump administration and a former communications director for Elise Stefanik.

Who is Chris Pappas?

He was born in the summer of 1980 in Manchester, the largest city in the state of New Hampshire, in the north-east of the USA, where he grew up. He studied at Harvard and after graduating in 2002, he returned to Manchester to help run the family business – a restaurant.

But not just any restaurant: the Pappas are founders and owners of the legendary Puritan Backroom—a favourite haunt of presidential hopefuls when they visit the state.

For most of his time, before working on his campaign, Pappas has been at the restaurant as a co-owner, overseeing its day-to-day operations and coordinating 230 employees.

Local media have described Pappas as often working in the kitchen, making salads, cutting cheese – feta of course! – or cleaning tables and welcoming customers.

In April 2017, as the National Herald reported, Mr. Pappas and his family hosted politicians, friends and customers from across the state of New Hampshire for Puritan Backroom’s centennial celebration. The restaurant was founded by Mr. Christos Pappas’ great-grandfather in the year 1917.

Some of the issues Pappas focuses on are drugs.

READ MORE: Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis keeps Staten Island congressional seat in race against Max Rose.