The top candidates running in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District outlined two different approaches to the economy and immigration in a debate at the NHPR studios in Concord Friday afternoon.
The discussion between incumbent Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas and Republican Russell Prescott was mostly cordial, and was recorded before a live studio audience who were instructed to remain silent. Aside from clear differences on how to lower costs and fix the U.S. immigration system – and an impassioned back-and-forth on abortion access – the pair generally agreed on many of the core issues. Watch and hear the full debate here.
Prescott, a former executive councilor and state senator, campaigned broadly on his belief that cuts to government spending, and reducing the federal deficit, would be the most effective way to lower consumer inflation. He said Friday that he supports trimming all federal departments by a slim margin, which he claimed could save $300 billion each year. Pappas, who has represented New Hampshire in Congress since 2019 and is seeking a fourth term, suggested expanding the child tax credit as a means to reduce the burden of costs for food and rent on many American consumers.
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Republican Russell Prescott speaks at the 1st Congressional District debate at NHPR on Oct. 18, 2024.
Leaning into his record in the state Senate, Prescott said he opposes broad tariffs, describing them as a “tax on every single person in the United States.” Instead, Prescott said he wants to balance the federal budget without increasing taxes.
“Raising taxes is the wrong thing. We’ve already had 30% inflation that’s accrued over the last four years and raising taxes would just add to that,” Prescott said.
Pappas emphasized the importance of lowering costs, noting that external pressures like global conflicts have influenced inflation rates and hit New Hampshire families hard. He said he supports expanding the child tax credit, adding that his constituents have communicated support for the policy.
“We had an expanded credit during the early years of the pandemic that cut child poverty in half in our country,” Pappas said. “It ensured that families could deal with basic, everyday expenses.”
Each candidate acknowledged that there are major problems with the immigration system. Pappas said the federal government has a role to play in countering the upstream factors that influence people to come to America from other countries, and to lean into effective diplomacy.
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“We also have to be smart about how we modernize a broken immigration system and fix it so that it’s serving the needs of our country,” said Pappas, who noted his support for a bipartisan national security bill that would funnel billions of dollars into hiring more asylum officers and detention judges, expanding the number of detention beds, and other border provisions. After months of negotiations, Senate Republicans blocked the bill when former President Donald Trump opposed it.
Prescott said he supports Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, noting the Mexican people are affected just as much as Americans by immigration issues.
“This problem is not just the border north. It’s also a problem the border south,” Prescott said. “If we firm up that wall, in working with our neighbor to the south, Mexico, it helps both of us and that’s what I’m talking about: Make sure we have a plan that will help remain people in Mexico and not just Mexico. Other South American countries need to know that we are working very hard to streamline our way of becoming a citizen of the United States.”
U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas speaks at the 1st Congressional District debate at NHPR on Oct. 18, 2024.
During the discussion on abortion, Pappas offered his unwavering support for codifying abortion rights at the federal level. Pappas also leveled modest attacks at Prescott on his record, which Pappas characterized as unfavorable. Prescott countered, arguing he supports the status quo formerly codified by Roe v. Wade, and expressing his displeasure with “negative ads” about his position authored by the Pappas campaign.
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“When I was in the executive council, I voted for judges that said that Roe v. Wade is concrete, it’s the law, and I voted for those judges,” Prescott said. “While I was in the state Senate, I also voted for an amendment by the Democrats to be able to make sure that we enshrine Roe v. Wade in our laws. My record stands, and I just wanted to say that I’m disappointed that Chris is having a negative campaign.”
Pappas said Prescott did support overturning Roe v. Wade, an allegation that Prescott denied, insisting he never said the rule should be overturned. Prescott told WMUR last year the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision was an effective measure to return political power to the states.
“That is bringing more power to the people to decide for themselves what that issue’s going to be like here in New Hampshire,” Prescott said. “Chris Pappas is saying, ‘No, I’ll decide for you what that is,’ and that’s not fair and that’s not good for people here in New Hampshire.”
During Friday’s debate, Pappas told Prescott, “You may be disappointed that this is a political problem for you, but the women of America are disappointed that they had a right taken away from them that was guaranteed by the Supreme Court for nearly half a century.
“The fact is that you supported overturning Roe, which has now created this new paradigm where we have a race to the bottom across the country, dangerous laws being passed that are threatening the health and safety of women,” Pappas said.
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The general election is Nov. 5. Hours of operation at the polls vary throughout the state, but generally open between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
There’s something special about New Hampshire, and honestly, we felt it right away.
From the messages on the app… to the comments on social… to the calls into the show… you showed up for us in a way that meant more than you probably realize. So seriously… thank you.
We want to thank Logan for his time with WOKQ. We want to thank Logan for his time with WOKQ. He has chosen a different career path and we wish him the best.
This first week of Garret & Katie in the Morning has been a blur in the best way. A little chaotic (we’re still figuring out what day it is half the time), but mostly just… fun. It already feels like we’re building something with you, not just talking at you.
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We can’t wait to get out, meet you in person, and experience more of New Hampshire and New England, whether that’s at events, local spots, or just randomly running into you at Market Basket, Kittery Trading Post, The Goat, Bank NH Pavilion, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom or Bernies Beach Bar.
READ MORE: New Hampshire Woman Hopes to Recover Late Father’s 1937 Ford Before Her Wedding
But before we do… we figured it’s only fair you get to know us a little better. So here are a few completely random things about each of us…
🎧 5 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT GARRET • I’ve been in radio since I was 15… which feels illegal now that I say it out loud. • I’m the kind of person who will talk to my dog like she fully understands English… and honestly, I think she does. • I always have floss on me. Truck, backpack… it’s a lifestyle at this point. • I’m obsessed with cooking outside, if there’s a grill involved, I’m in. • I will absolutely judge a grocery store based on the vibe alone… and yes, I’m still learning the full Market Basket experience.
🎧 5 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT KATIE • She can go from zero to fully invested in a reality show in about 30 seconds. • If there’s a group chat… she’s running it. • She somehow always knows what’s trending before anyone else. • Coffee isn’t optional, it’s part of the personality. • She’s the kind of person who will make you laugh mid-sentence… and then forget what she was saying.
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See you every weekday morning from 6-10am on New England’s Number One for New Country 97-5 WOKQ.
Garret and Katie
Iconic Diners in New Hampshire
There’s just something about a diner… the coffee that never stops coming, the same booth people have probably been sitting in for 30 years, and a breakfast that somehow hits every single time.
As I’ve been getting to know New Hampshire, one thing became very clear — this state LOVES its diners. And not just any diners… we’re talking iconic, been-here-forever, locals-swear-by-it kind of places.
So I went down the rabbit hole (and got very hungry in the process) and pulled together some of the most iconic diners across the Granite State.
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Did we get your favorite? Or are you already mad we missed one? 😅
Gallery Credit: Garret Doll
7 Massachusetts Pizza Places Reviewed by Barstool’s Dave Portnoy in January 2026
Campton, New Hampshire — Seven-year-old Ben O’Reilly is deaf and has other special needs. A first grader at Campton Elementary in Campton, New Hampshire, his aide, Cheryl Ulicny, says that Ben had felt isolated at school.
“He didn’t have relationships with his peers or teachers, for that matter,” Ulicny said. “He was very alone. And he acted very alone.”
New Hampshire is one of the few states in the nation that doesn’t have a dedicated school for the deaf. In fact, Ben is the only deaf student in his whole school district. So, aside from Ulicny, there was virtually no one in this whole school community he could talk to. At least at first.
The transformation began when some of Ben’s classmates, including Reid Spring, started picking up on a few signs.
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“If he’s your friend, you can play with him, and he’s my friend,” Reid said of Ben.
Then, the rest of the class decided to learn sign language. Eventually, other teachers in other grades began taking sign language classes and speaking in sign, even when Ben wasn’t around.
“It’s fun communicating with Ben and playing with him,” Reid said.
Ben’s adoptive mothers, Etta and Marlaina O’Reilly, were in shock when they found out how well he was being treated at school.
“It’s incredible,” Etta O’Reilly told CBS News. “I could barely breathe. Like it was just so overwhelming.”
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Today, just about every Campton student and staff member knows at least some sign language. Ben’s parents say this has had a profound impact on their son.
“It clicked for him that the sign language had value,” Etta O’Reilly said.
Said Ulicny: “You could just watch his world open up with communication. It was amazing.”
AND NOW THERE’S SOME ICE UP NORTH THIS MORNING. SO SOME LOCALIZED SLICK SPOTS POSSIBLE NOW AND PROBABLY THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, SAY THROUGH ABOUT 9 OR 10 A.M. AS THE TEMPERATURES HOVER NEAR FREEZING, ESPECIALLY NEAR AND NORTH OF THE LAKES REGION. SO ANYTHING UNTREATED MAY BE A BIT SLICK. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR GRAFTON, CARROLL AND COOS COUNTIES THROUGH 10 A.M. AND THIS IS WHERE MOST OF US ARE SEEING TEMPERATURES NEAR OR BELOW 32. WE’RE RIGHT THERE IN PLYMOUTH AND IN LACONIA, SOME HIGHER ELEVATIONS THROUGH CHESHIRE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES AS WELL. SITTING VERY CLOSE TO FREEZING. SO BASICALLY ANYWHERE YOU SEE THIS BLUE COLOR HAS AT LEAST THE CHANCE FOR HAVING SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN. IT’S A HEAVIER RAIN IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND EVEN WITHIN JUST THE PAST COUPLE OF MINUTES. FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE GREATER CONWAY AREA. YEAH, YOU SEE THIS LIGHTNING BOLT ON THE RADAR. SO SOME THUNDER WAKING YOU UP IN THE MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY AND RIGHT ALONG ROUTE 16. AND AGAIN, IT IS KIND OF FUNNY THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. THE TEMPERATURES ARE SO CLOSE TO FREEZING. REALLY DOESN’T HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON UP IN THE CLOUD, BUT CERTAINLY DOWN AT GROUND LEVEL. ANYWHERE YOU SEE THIS PINK COLOR, THAT RAIN COULD BE FREEZING ON CONTACT. IT’S A LITTLE BIT MILDER RIGHT ALONG THE CONNECTICUT RIVER, BUT YOU GET JUST EAST OF THERE, OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS AND UP INTO THE GREAT NORTH WOODS AS WELL, THROUGH, SAY, ERROL BERLIN, GORHAM. THAT’S WHERE THEY’RE LIKELY SOME SLICK SPOTS TO CONTEND WITH THROUGH THIS MORNING. YOU SEE THE PINK COLOR LINGERING IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE THROUGH ABOUT 7 A.M. ON FUTURECAST. NOT COMPLETELY DRY. FARTHER SOUTH, THOUGH, THE DRIZZLE, THE LOW CLOUDS. THE FOG MAKING FOR A CHILLY, MURKY MORNING COMMUTE OUT THERE, THERE MAY BE A POP UP SHOWER OR DOWNPOUR MID MORNING, EVEN FAR SOUTH, AND THEN FROM MIDDAY AND BEYOND, THE CLOUDS WILL SLOWLY START TO BREAK APART FROM WEST TO EAST. THAT SHOULD ALLOW FOR SOME SUNSHINE THAT WILL WARM OUR TEMPERATURES UP A BIT LATER ON. TODAY. ONE LAST FRONT COMES IN LATER ON THIS EVENING. ALONG. IT COULD COME IN ADDITIONAL SPOT SHOWER OR DOWNPOUR. MUCH OF WESTERN AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE MAKES A RUN TOWARD THE UPPER 50S TO NEAR 60 DEGREES TODAY, WITH THAT SUN BREAKING OUT THIS AFTERNOON, BUT LIKELY SOME COOLER POCKETS IN THE LAKES REGION IN THE MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY THAT KEEP TEMPERATURES THERE A BIT CLOSER TO THE 50 DEGREE MARK. ITS OPENING DAY DOWN AT FENWAY. FIRST PITCH THERE IN BOSTON, COMING UP AT 210. THINGS SHOULD BE DRYING OUT, BUT YOU SEE THE TEMPERATURES A LITTLE BIT COOLER GIVEN THEY’RE RIGHT ALONG THE COASTLINE, THOUGH IN THE LATE INNINGS THERE COULD BE SOME SUNSHINE. NOT A BAD APRIL DAY FOR OPENING DAY DOWN AT FENWAY PARK. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE’RE GOING TO GET IN OPENING DAY AT DELTA DENTAL STADIUM. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND OUR FRIEND, METEOROLOGIST KEVIN SKARUPA. THIS MORNING, KEVIN, THE FISHER CATS FIRST PITCH COMING UP LATER ON TONIGHT. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THAT? YEAH, IT’S A GOOD THING THAT WE’RE NOT HAVING THE THE GAME AT 6:03 A.M. BECAUSE YOU SEE THAT. YEAH. 30S AND A LITTLE BIT OF DRIZZLE OUT HERE EARLY THIS MORNING. WE ARE LOOKING AT IMPROVING CONDITIONS AS YOU’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. AS WE GRADUALLY GO THROUGH THE DAY. WE CLIMB THROUGH THE 40S THIS MORNING, THROUGH THE 50S THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BUILDING BREEZE AND WITH ANY SORT OF SUNSHINE AT ALL. YOU’RE TALKING UPPER 50S. THAT IS FOR FIRST PITCH JUST AFTER 6:00 THIS EVENING. THEY ARE FACING THE BINGHAMTON RUMBLE PONIES, WHICH JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE DEFENDING CHAMPS OF THE DIVISION. SO THEY’RE RIGHT OUT OF THE FRYING PAN AND INTO THE FIRE. RIGHT TONIGHT. 6:03 P.M. A LOT OF NEW STUFF TO CHECK OUT HERE WITH THE FISHER CATS. WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE COMING UP FROM THE GIFT SHOP COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. BACK TO YOU. SOUNDS GREAT, KEVIN, THANKS FOR THAT. AND IT’S GOOD TO SEE THAT WE’LL HAVE SOME BRIGHT AND WARMER WEATHER FOR FIRST PITCH LATER ON THIS EVENING. WE’LL HANG ON TO THE BRIGHT SKIES TOMORROW, BUT THE TEMPERATURES FALL ON SATURDAY, LIKELY REACHING THE 50S IN THE MORNING AND PROBABLY BACK IN THE 40S FOR THE AFTERNOON. UNFORTUNATELY FOR EASTER EGG HUNTS ON SUNDAY, IT IS LOOKING DAMP WITH TIMES OF CLOUDS AND SHOWER
Milder air gradually returns today after a damp start. The weekend is split with some sun Saturday, then shower chances on Easter. Cooler air will follow a front that moves in later Sunday.A winter weather advisory will be in effect for Coos, Carroll and Grafton counties until 10:00 a.m.Drizzle and light icing in higher elevations continues this morning, and a quick downpour can’t be ruled out. Clouds should gradually erode for some sunny breaks this afternoon. Temperatures will climb to near or just above 60 degrees in southern and western New Hampshire, though we may only get to near 50 in parts of the Lakes Region and Mt. Washington Valley.A spot evening shower or downpour is possible, otherwise partial clearing tonight with lows in the 40s.Partly sunny on Saturday. Temperatures may briefly climb into the 50s during the morning, then an easterly breeze will knock readings back into the 40s for the afternoon.An approaching front will keep Easter cloudy and unsettled. There may be some scattered showers early in the morning, with steadier light rain possible during the afternoon. Clearing skies but cooler air for early next week.
Milder air gradually returns today after a damp start. The weekend is split with some sun Saturday, then shower chances on Easter. Cooler air will follow a front that moves in later Sunday.
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A winter weather advisory will be in effect for Coos, Carroll and Grafton counties until 10:00 a.m.
Drizzle and light icing in higher elevations continues this morning, and a quick downpour can’t be ruled out. Clouds should gradually erode for some sunny breaks this afternoon. Temperatures will climb to near or just above 60 degrees in southern and western New Hampshire, though we may only get to near 50 in parts of the Lakes Region and Mt. Washington Valley.
A spot evening shower or downpour is possible, otherwise partial clearing tonight with lows in the 40s.
Partly sunny on Saturday. Temperatures may briefly climb into the 50s during the morning, then an easterly breeze will knock readings back into the 40s for the afternoon.
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An approaching front will keep Easter cloudy and unsettled. There may be some scattered showers early in the morning, with steadier light rain possible during the afternoon. Clearing skies but cooler air for early next week.
