New Hampshire
Three Seacoast Democrats lead the way in NH US House race
A military veteran with a previous unsuccessful bid for Congress, the daughter of a household name in New Hampshire politics, and a Harvard University professor — all Democrats — are the first to jump in the 2026 race for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
Maura Sullivan, a Marine Corps veteran and former Obama administration staffer, became the first candidate to join the race in April. Former Portsmouth City Councilor Stefany Shaheen, who is the daughter of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, followed late last month. On June 4, Carleigh Beriont, who teaches at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and serves on Hampton’s select board, announced her campaign. No Republican has officially entered the race yet.
The district, which has been in Democratic hands for nearly a decade, is being closely watched to see whether a Republican can flip it or whether it’s become a Democratic stronghold.
Sullivan, Shaheen, and Beriont are vying to represent the eastern half of New Hampshire, including Manchester, the state’s largest city; the Seacoast cities of Portsmouth, Dover, and Exeter; and parts of the Lakes Region, including Laconia. Chris Pappas has represented the 1st District since 2018, but it became an open contest in April when Pappas announced a run for the Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen.
Both Sullivan and Shaheen targeted President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk in their opening pitches to voters. Sullivan put particular emphasis on her military service in Iraq and Southeast Asia.
“I saw too many of my fellow Marines give their lives for this country to just sit by and watch Donald Trump and Elon Musk tear it down,” Sullivan said in her announcement video. “They’re driving up costs for New Hampshire families, making it even more difficult to own a home and pay the bills, and that’s why I’m running for Congress.”
Born in the Chicago area, Sullivan holds degrees from Northwestern University and Harvard. After serving in the Marine Corps, Sullivan worked in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense under former President Barack Obama. In 2017, she moved to New Hampshire and within three months announced she was running for Congress, a move widely criticized by people who pointed out how few ties she had to the state. She finished runner-up to Pappas among 11 candidates in the primary.
In her campaign announcement, Shaheen focused on health care-related issues, saying her experience raising a daughter with type 1 diabetes inspired her to fight for medical research.
“When I see Donald Trump crushing medical research in our country,” Shaheen said in her video, “when I see Elon Musk with a chainsaw chasing out our best scientists and doctors, when I see Bobby Kennedy Jr. allowing measles to run rampant because he believes in conspiracy theories instead of proven vaccines, and when I see congressional Republicans slashing Medicaid, children’s health care, veterans’ health care, all to fund massive tax breaks for billionaires and corporations, well, I’m going to fight.”
Shaheen’s mother, a mainstay of New Hampshire politics for decades, served as governor from 1997 to 2003 and has represented the state in the U.S. Senate since 2009 (she announced her upcoming retirement in March). In addition to formerly serving on the Portsmouth City Council, the younger Shaheen was chairwoman of the Portsmouth Police Commission. She works as chief strategy officer for the Manchester-based biomanufacturer ARMI and founded Good Measures, a company that seeks to connect people with chronic illnesses to proper supports.
In announcing her candidacy, Beriont characterized herself as an outsider rather than an establishment candidate.
“I’m not a career politician — I’m a mom, an educator, a neighbor,” she said in a press release. “I’ve spent my life standing up for people who don’t always have a voice in the room. Now, I’m ready to bring that same fight to Washington — not for the powerful, but for the rest of us.”
Beriont teaches religion, government, and U.S. history at Harvard. She previously worked as an organizer with Democratic campaigns. She said she hopes to build a grassroots campaign.
A swing district or one that’s become safely Democratic?
New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District has historically been a challenging swing district. From 2006 to 2018, it switched hands four times between Republican Frank Guinta and Democrat Carol Shea-Porter. However, after Pappas took the seat in 2018 and won reelection three consecutive times, the seat has sat squarely in Democratic hands.
“It’ll be interesting to see once Pappas is not on the ballot — at least not for CD1 (Pappas is running for Senate) — whether the district reverts back to being more swingy than it otherwise has been during the Pappas years,” Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, said. “And that raises the second question, which is … how much of that can you attribute to Pappas’ strengths as an incumbent and how much should we chalk up to the trend that, during the Trump era since 2016, New Hampshire Democrats have been unbeaten in terms of federal elections?”
Scala said if it turns out Pappas’ success was driven by his strength as a candidate, a Democratic nominee could have more difficulty. But if it turns out President Donald Trump’s dominance over the Republican Party has turned off many New Hampshire voters and made the state more liberal, they won’t have too much trouble replicating Pappas’ success. In a similar vein, he argued that during the Guinta/Shea-Porter decade, the race became dependent on “outside factors.”
“Like who was in power in the White House, for example,” he said. “I think it was those sorts of extra or outside-New Hampshire national factors — which way the national breeze is blowing — that was affecting the results.”
Scala said Pappas was able to “defy the national wind” multiple times. 2022’s elections, when then-President Joe Biden had low approval ratings, was a difficult moment for Democrats nationwide.
“There was all sorts of talk about a red wave in ‘22,” he said. “And I thought it was quite possible at the time that Pappas would be upset by that wave. But then it turned out that New Hampshire Democrats, (Sen. Maggie) Hassan and Pappas, held steady, despite the fact that we saw the wave happen elsewhere.”
Scala pointed to Pappas’ centrism and the fact that he’d been on a ballot in so many races as possible drivers of success.
“He quietly goes about the business of being an incumbent,” he said. “In some ways, it’s a throwback to an earlier era of representation, where you’re just looking out for your district. You’re not looking to make waves. You’re not trying to be a polarizing figure. You’re low-profile. But that allows people who voted for (former Republican Gov.) Chris Sununu to feel comfortable turning around and voting for Chris Pappas.”
Scala believes Trump will have an outsized influence in 2026. A Trump endorsement could play a big part in the Republican primary. Looking toward the general election, Scala pointed to a recent UNH poll that found 45% of Granite Staters approve of Trump’s job performance, which is “not terrible, but what does that look like in a year’s time?”
“Trump’s not on the ballot and on the ballot,” he said. “Trump just takes up so much oxygen politically. Once it gets past the primaries, I really think it’s a referendum on Trump. I think you have to assume that’s going to benefit the Democratic candidate, whoever that may be, and I think it’s increasingly difficult now for a Republican in particular to try, especially for the House, to develop any sort of identity that’s distinctive enough to separate himself or herself from Trump.”
On Sullivan, Shaheen, and Beriont’s side of the race, Scala said “there’s a lot of discontent with the Democratic Party in general.”
“There’s a lot of unhappiness and finger-pointing among Democrats about how they should be facing off against Trump,” he said. “Is there lightning out there that could be harnessed in a Democratic primary? You know, the way that Shea-Porter was able to do?”
Scala said it was Shea-Porter’s ardent opposition to the Iraq War in 2006 that won her the seat originally.
“She went from nobody, but was really very much a grassroots activist on an issue, the Iraq War, that split the party, and she just went like gangbusters and rode that to Congress,” he said. “You look at Shaheen, Maura Sullivan (Scala spoke with the Bulletin before Beriont’s announcement), nothing strikes me about either of those candidates as insurgent, for lack of a better word. I mean, they’re pretty much standard issue Democratic candidates. Is there someone out there who, you know, would have the wherewithal to stir the pot?”
Advice from a previously successful candidate
Where Scala thinks it’s an open question as to whether the district solidly leans democratic, Shea-Porter has no doubts.
“I wouldn’t have retired in January 2019 if I thought we hadn’t flipped it blue,” Shea-Porter told the Bulletin. “But I knew that we had.”
She argued that the Republican Party nationally has moved too far right for New Hampshire voters while Democrats from New Hampshire have stayed moderate.
“They don’t want the ugliness that we’re seeing from the MAGA party,” she said. “And they didn’t want it then either. They don’t want extremists in either camp. And we have not had a Democratic extremist.”
Shea-Porter argued that the state “is not an extremist state,” and that it typically votes “center, center-left, sometimes center-right, but never far left or far right.”
She’s been paying attention to the current political landscape.
“As I have watched this unfold, I’ve thought, ‘My gosh, this just feels in so many ways like 2006,’” she said.
Shea-Porter said when she criticized the Iraq War and other actions taken by then-President George W. Bush people accused her of not supporting the troops. Today, she said when people criticize Trump and conservative policies, they’re accused of “not thinking about America first.”
She also argued the MAGA movement is an extension of the Tea Party of the early 2010s. She, and many spectators at the time, credit backlash to the Affordable Care Act (colloquially known as Obamacare) for her two electoral defeats to Guinta. (Guinta did not respond to the Bulletin’s requests for interviews.) She notes that today, the ACA, and the Medicaid expansion it brought, have returned to the forefront of political discussions as Republicans debate cutting it. Finally, she said both eras see Republicans trying to push tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of the middle and lower classes.
“Echoes of today, right?’” she said. “I mean they’re the same problems that we have — that people were struggling economically and that they didn’t have champions there for them and people were passing legislation that was only helping the rich — and I was talking about anybody who was supporting the wealthy over the middle class. And I used to say the middle class is stumbling and the poor have fallen. And that was always my line, and sadly, here we are again. Today, it’s the same thing.”
Shea-Porter said, in retirement, she’s still in touch with former colleagues and she’s “not quiet on what’s happening.”
“If I were any of these candidates right now,” she said, “I would ask constitutional scholars to go to town halls with me and talk about how endangered we are right now with a very authoritarian president and a MAGA party in Washington who’s really threatening so many groups of people and ignoring our Constitution.”
“I think these candidates need to not be afraid to go out and say, ‘Look, I plan to do everything I can to produce legislation to vote to stop this,’” she said. “But then they have to have the facts. … I would keep a list like I used to keep on George Bush and his administration, so that people would understand, here’s the list of what is wrong.”
Shea-Porter said she’s spoken to candidates in the race, offering advice, though she wouldn’t say who. For now, she said she plans not to publicly take sides in the primary, but will strongly support the Democratic nominee in the general election. She anticipates the primary being friendly without personal attacks.
Her advice for the candidates: “to not be afraid to lead on these issues. People are looking for people who will not lead from behind, but lead up front.”
This story was originally published by New Hampshire Bulletin.
Emily (Em) Madeline Peters, 28, passed away on April 29, 2026 in Boston. Em was born on February 27, 1998 in Rochester, NY. Our family moved to Amherst, NH in 1999.
Em attended school in Amherst and graduated from Souhegan High School in 2016. Em enjoyed photography and art where they demonstrated a talent for painting. Em also enjoyed playing the guitar and ukulele. Em was part of the Amherst Congregational Church Youth Group where they participated in mission trips to serve the communities in Tennessee and New York City.
After high school, Em lived and worked in New Hampshire, Cape Cod and the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Em was a devoted friend who dedicated themselves to causes that supported the LGBTQ+ community. Em also was always prepared to help those living with addiction. They carried Narcan with them and used it several times to help someone who had overdosed. They were passionate about equality and fairness in the workplace which led them to take action. Em helped lead workers to organize and form a union at a grocery store where they worked. Em also worked for a non-profit organization providing food, clothing and child care to those that needed help.
Em is survived by their parents, Eileen Marie (Hodges) Peters and David Lester Peters of Amherst, NH; brother Andrew Partrick Peters of Merrimack, NH; sister Katherine MacKenzie Peters of Essex, MA.; and grandfather Gerald L. Hodges, Jr. of Rochester, NY. Em is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins. Em is predeceased by her maternal grandmother Mary “Dolly” (Curley) Hodges and paternal grandparents Eugene Monroe Peters and Gloria Shirley (Thorne) Peters.
Some of our fondest and happiest memories were spent together on family vacations. Whether we were camping, visiting Old Orchard Beach, or exploring national parks, we were happy. Em’s time on this earth was far too short. We loved them dearly and they will always remain in our hearts. We will miss their good-natured teasing and many inside jokes. We will miss their creativity, compassion for others, and their beautiful smile.
Family and friends are warmly welcomed to attend calling hours at Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple Street in Wilton, NH on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 2 – 4 pm. A service will be held following calling hours at the funeral home. The arrangements are in the care of the Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple St., Wilton, NH. To view an online obituary or leave a condolence, please visit our web site at www.michaudfuneralhome.com
House Democrats have a nearly perfect record of voting against proposed bans on personal income taxes. On Thursday, they’ll face a different dilemma:
Whether to vote in favor of giving the state the power to impose a progressive income tax.
Rep. Thomas Oppel, D-Canaan, plans to bring an amendment to the floor Thursday “providing that: the legislature may impose progressive-based income taxes, and revenues derived from such taxes be used exclusively to fund public schools in order to offset local property taxes.”
Oppel was part of the “Cut Our Property Taxes!” group organized by former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky to push for the so-called “3-3 Tax Savings Plan” that would institute a 3% income tax for all residents and a $3 tax per $1,000 of equalized property value for all homeowners.
His amendment Thursday goes further, imposing a graduated income tax.
“Any assessments, rates, and taxes imposed on income shall be considered reasonable and proportional if they are imposed at the same rates across the state even though they are imposed and levied progressively; that is, at rates that rise or increase in whole or in part, as the income being taxed increases,” Oppel’s amendment reads.
House rules allow any member to offer an amendment to any legislation, but even if there were procedural barriers, Republicans are happy to have Democrats cast this vote. Democratic leaders like Rep. Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter, and Sen. Rebecca Perkins-Kwoka, D-Portsmouth, have publicly rejected an income tax and can’t be happy to have it back in the election-year conversation. Republicans, on the other hand, greeted the news with delight.
“House Democrats just filed an amendment to push for an income tax and hijack the state constitution,” the House GOP posted Tuesday. “House Democrats know Granite Staters overwhelmingly oppose an income tax. They do not care. Our message has not changed: HELL NO to income tax. Not now. Not ever.”
And House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, added, “The Committee to Elect House Republicans would like to make Taxin’ Tom Oppel an honorary board member.”
Income taxes are a tricky issue for Democrats, as Joyce Craig demonstrated in her failed 2024 governor’s race. Democrats like Cinde Warmington insist they oppose a broad-based sales or income tax. However, they’re also promising voters they will lower their property taxes.
Volinsky’s approach is to use an income tax to shift about $1 billion from property taxes to income taxes, lowering the property tax burden.
Warmington has yet to say where she would find the money to lower property taxes without cutting state funding to public schools.
Republicans like Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, head of Granite State Taxpayers, want to tackle high property taxes by controlling spending. They’re pushing a bill to put a local property tax cap on the ballot in every community.
“Our outrageous property tax levels are the result of unchecked spending on schools and, in particular, school administration,” said McGuire. “Well-run states in this regard, like Idaho and Utah, spend half as much per pupil as we do and get similar results.
“Voters in November will get a chance to stem the bleeding if the Senate and House can get together on HB 1300, a school property tax cap bill.”
Polls show more than 70% of Granite Staters oppose an income tax.
This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.
New Hampshire
Private Island Escape in New Hampshire That Can Be Accessed Only by Boat or Snowmobile Is Listed for Less Than $350K
Jetting off to a private island for the summer may seem like a luxury enjoyed only by the ultrawealthy—but in New Hampshire, that dream is readily available for nearly $100,000 less than the national median home price.
The 7,800-square-foot isle in Milan, NH, which is on the market for just $337,700, is home to a fully-sustainable cottage that was designed as “the ultimate escape from the everyday,” something that is readily achieved by the property’s remote location.
Accessible only by water—or ice during the coldest winter months—the island can be completely cut off from civilization should the next owner desire, a rare feature that has helped the dwelling to bob right to the top of the week’s most popular homes list.
The exclusive off-grid retreat, which is tucked away on Nay Pond in New Hampshire’s North Country, has been outfitted with several eco-friendly amenities that allow it to continue running without assistance from the mainland, including solar power, a backup generator, a water collection system, and a composting toilet.
Designed for buyers seeking a true escape where the only visitors dropping by are local loons, the getaway is accessible during all four seasons. It has a boat dock for access during the warmer months and “direct snowmobile trail access” in the winter.
The home can accommodate eight guests, making it an ideal investment property for investors seeking additional rental income, or it could be used as a family getaway.
Other properties grabbing attention this week are a historic log home with four guest cabins in Montana, an Italian Renaissance Revival home in Louisiana, and a 1902 Georgian Revival and neoclassical landmark in Indiana.
Price: $4,490,000
Why it’s here: It’s a four-bedroom luxury mountain retreat tucked away on 43.92 wooded acres with multiple springs, creeks, and a pond. It’s being sold at auction without reserve on May 23.
The chateau-inspired residence “designed for those seeking the ultimate privacy” offers long-range mountain views that reach Tennessee “on a clear day.”
Designed for grand-scale entertaining, the 5,000-square-foot interior features a luxurious chef’s kitchen with dual refrigerators and dishwashers, a lavish primary suite with marble shower and covered terrace, and a secondary suite with a kitchenette. The lower level could be transformed into a studio, wellness center, or entertainment level.
Multiple covered decks and a covered back porch overlook an outdoor fireplace and offer scenic mountain views.
Teresa Bryant Brown of Teresa B. Brown is the listing agent.
Price: $850,000
Why it’s here: Here’s the chance to step back in time with this 200-year-old hand-hewn log home.
Offering just 690 square feet of space, the tiny two-bedroom residence boasts a vintage-inspired interior with original wide-plank wood floors, exposed beams, vaulted ceilings, a stone fireplace, a Dutch door, and a hand-painted sink. The kitchen features a herringbone-patterned original brick floor along with modern appliances.
A bluestone slate patio found out back overlooks the 6.41-acre lot, which also has a pond and a brook.
Josephine O’Leary Weir of Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty is the listing agent.
Price: $1,549,000
Why it’s here: Calling all investors! Here’s the chance to buy a historic log home with four guest cabins located on 24.25 acres overlooking Trapper Creek. It is currently being used as a fishing lodge.
The “income-producing retreat” is dotted by ponds, outbuildings, outdoor areas, and an expansive deck designed for entertaining and soaking in the tranquil scenery. Offering hunting and fishing opportunities onsite, the property is also located near Lost Trail Powder Mountain and the Bitterroot River.
While the cabins “provide immediate rental potential,” they could also be used to create a multigenerational legacy compound, event venue, or corporate getaway.
Jani Summers of Engel & Volkers Western Frontier – Hamilton is the listing agent.
Price: $499,900
Why it’s here: Built in 1930, this Italian Renaissance Revival home features many period details and modern conveniences.
Original hardwood floors, a grand staircase, and arched doorways can be found throughout the 4,139-square-foot interior. A formal living room surrounded by oversized windows has a gas fireplace with an ornate mantel. Other highlights include a sunroom, a spacious eat-in kitchen with updated appliances, and a light-filled formal dining room.
A large carport can accommodate three vehicles.
Allison M Romaguera of WayMaker Realty is the listing agent.
Price: $1,125,000
Why it’s here: It’s a 160-acre, off-grid, prepper’s paradise nestled near Trinity National Forest. It features high-end finishes and luxurious amenities.
The two-bedroom sustainable residence boasts heated concrete floors, solar power, fire-resistant wood paneling, an outdoor shower, and a private well. Multiple skylights can be found throughout the 3,000-square-foot interior.
A modern kitchen has quartz and butcher block countertops and a built-in dining bench. The sun-soaked living room has a brick fireplace and sliders that open to a covered patio.
A detached three-car garage with electric charging capabilities and a mobile home for guests can also be found on the enormous lot.
Doren Morgan of California Outdoor Properties is the listing agent.
Price: $749,995
Why it’s here: The Charles Over Mansion is a “meticulously restored” 1902 Georgian Revival and neoclassical landmark.
Historic highlights include Corinthian columns, custom millwork, preserved hardwood floors, solid oak and leaded-glass entry doors, original terrazzo floors, crystal chandeliers, leaded and stained glass, coffered ceilings, pocket doors, and five fireplaces.
The 12,892-square-foot residence also features a formal dining room with oak wainscoting, a drawing room, a kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, a grand staircase with dual built-in bench seating, and a third-floor “speakeasy-style retreat” with brick floors, a guest suite, and a hidden ballroom with a stage, media lounge, and dance floor.
An expansive front porch and second-level portico were designed for relaxing.
Shawna Lubus of Compass of Indiana is the listing agent.
Price: $375,000
Why it’s here: Built in 1960 by architect B. Milton Cuppy Jr. as his personal residence, this midcentury home was “rescued in 2023” and restored to its original beauty.
Original terrazzo floors, glass walls, multiple skylights, and period-specific enhancements can be found throughout the 2,280-square-foot dwelling. The four-bedroom residence with a two-car attached garage also features a retro kitchen with 1960s electric range and salvaged original tile lining the 2.5 bathrooms.
A large wood deck overlooks the 1-acre wooded lot.
Christy Kalavsky of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Indiana Realty is the listing agent.
Price: $179,900
Why it’s here: This A-frame residence surprises with its very own private cave carved into a bluff, surrounded by a towering rock wall and tucked away behind the cabin!
Located on 2 acres in the gated second-home community of Aspenhof, the 1,632-square-foot abode features a two-story living room with a wood-burning stove and sliders that open to a wraparound deck. Loft-style accommodations can be found upstairs, offering three sleeping areas. According to the listing, “most furnishings can remain with the property.”
It also comes with exclusive access to four private lakes designed for fishing, swimming, and nonmotorized boating.
Dan Dieckmann of Innsbrook Properties is the listing agent.
Price: $2,639,000
Why it’s here: The Tobias Langdon House pre-dates the Declaration of Independence and still features much of its historic charm.
Built in 1710, the four-bedroom Colonial has been thoughtfully modernized while still preserving many period details. Highlights include custom millwork, original wide-plank floors, built-ins, multiple fireplaces, and dual staircases. A country kitchen has high-end appliances as well as a cooking fireplace.
A lushly landscaped back garden with a brick patio has views of the nearby Piscataqua River and also overlooks a fully equipped outdoor kitchen designed for entertaining.
Patrick Carey of Carey Giampa, LLC/Seabrook Beach is the listing agent.
Price: $337,700
Why it’s here: Here’s the chance to buy a sustainable two-bedroom home and live on your very own private island on Nay Pond!
The secluded sanctuary features a 600-square-foot home where the only neighbors are local loons. The eco-friendly residence designed for “self-sufficient living” features a backup generator, solar power, a water collection system, a composting toilet, and a gas fireplace. Pull-down stairs lead to an unfinished sleeping area.
Designed as a vacation rental or private getaway, the year-round property can be accessed by snowmobiles during the winter and boats during the warmer months.
“No offers will be accepted until May 17, 2026,” according to the listing.
Debi Davis of Re/Max Northern Edge Realty is the listing agent.
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