Former Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Representative Chris Pappas (D) in the New Hampshire Senate race on Monday. This endorsement is the latest in a series of congressional candidates Harris has supported leading up to the November midterm elections. Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, previously won New Hampshire by close to 3 percentage points.
Rep. Pappas stated on the social platform X that Harris has "stood tall for democracy" and is committed to making the country "fairer and freer," noting he was proud to have her support. The former vice president has also supported several other Democratic candidates during this cycle, including Senator Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Roy Cooper in North Carolina, James Talarico in Texas, and Troy Jackson in Maine.
The political response to Harris’s involvement has been varied among Democratic candidates. While Pappas and others have accepted her endorsement, candidates such as Representative Mary Peltola (D-AK), Josh Turek (D-IA), and Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand have chosen to keep Harris at arm's length. Democratic party members have attributed these decisions to the specific political environments of red-leaning states rather than a personal assessment of Harris.
Harris is among several high-profile Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who are weighing in on midterm races as they consider potential 2028 White House bids.