There’s a new Republican candidate running in the open seat race for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
Melissa Bailey, who is vice chair of the Bedford GOP Committee, also worked in banking and accounting before spending the last decade homeschooling her three children.
Bailey says she “felt called” to seek for her party’s nomination in the 1st District, and thinks 2026 will be the election in which her party reclaims the seat Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas has held since 2017.
“I think the political climate has changed quite a bit, especially since the last time this was an open seat,” Bailey said Thursday. “And with our strong Republican Legislature in our state having so much success, I think that's going to help our party as well.”
Bailey joins Chris Bright, of Derry, in the Republican primary. Bright is a businessman and veteran who placed fourth in the GOP primary when he ran in the 1st District last year.
Democratic candidates include Stefany Shaheen, a former Portsmouth City Councilor and daughter of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen; New Hampshire Democratic Party Vice Chair Maura Sullivan of New Castle; Hampton selectboard member Carleigh Beriont; and Ex-Pentagon lawyer Christian Urrutia. State Rep. Alice Wade of Dover has formed an exploratory committee.
The race for the 1st District is wide open after Pappas decided to run for the U.S. Senate seat Jeanne Shaheen will retire from next year.
