Friend,

I’m Chris Pappas, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire. Catherine Cortez Masto said I could reach out to you today with a special message about Pride.

Growing up in New Hampshire, I often wondered if there would be a place for me here — if I’d be able to live openly and authentically in the state I love. I certainly never imagined I could one day be elected to public office as my authentic self.

But after I finished college, I came home and ran for the state legislature because I wanted to give back to the community that had given me so much.

And somewhat to my surprise, not only did my community accept me, they gave me their trust and sent me to Concord to serve them in the legislature.

I’ll never forget the first speech I made from the State House floor. At the time marriage equality was far from the law of the land, and the legislature was debating a bill that would have prohibited New Hampshire from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states.

I urged my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike, to vote this bill down.

I told them that it ran counter to the “Live Free or Die” spirit we’re so proud of in New Hampshire. And that we shouldn’t be legislating based on fear or hate or trying to punish people for who they love.

Unfortunately, the bill passed, and we lost that fight. But we didn’t give up.

We persevered, and not long after we passed a new bill recognizing civil unions between same-sex partners. And a few years after that, New Hampshire became the first state in the nation to legalize marriage equality through legislative action.

Then in 2018 I was elected to Congress as New Hampshire’s first openly gay member — part of a rainbow wave that ushered in the most pro-equality majority in congressional history.

That’s the spirit of Pride, friend. It’s not just about celebrating — it’s about persevering in the face of what can seem like overwhelming odds and refusing to give up, even after a devastating loss.

And although we’ve come a long way since I was growing up, we have to keep persevering today. Because right now anti-equality extremists are renewing their attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, targeting trans kids, banning books, and spreading fear to divide us.

That’s one of the reasons I’m running for U.S. Senate. New Hampshire needs a voice in Washington who will stand strong for equality, dignity, and freedom — a voice who will continue to uphold our state’s “Live Free or Die” motto.

I’ll never forget the trust my community has placed in me over the years, and I’ll always keep up the fight to make sure every single person in New Hampshire and our country has the freedom to live openly, authentically, and with pride.

We’ve come a long way, friend. But we’re not done yet. So let’s keep persevering together.

In solidarity,

Chris Pappas