CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Democrats hope to maintain their dominance in New Hampshire’s congressional delegation Tuesday, while Republicans seek to regain their footing by ousting an incumbent president or winning an open seat.

In the 1st District, which covers the eastern half of the state and includes Manchester, its largest city, Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas is running. for a fourth term. He faces former Republican senator Russell Prescott. The district was once quite politically volatile, with party control switching five times in six election cycles from 2006 to 2016.

The 2nd District, which includes the cities of Nashua and Concord, has not been in Republican hands since 2013. This seat is open because Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, the longest-serving member in the district’s history, retires after six terms. Former White House aide Maggie Goodlander, a Democrat, faces Republican activist Lily Tang Williams in the race for Kuster’s seat.

These are New Hampshire’s only congressional districts. Neither of the state’s two U.S. senators, both Democrats, were up for re-election.

1st Congressional District

Both Pappas and Prescott served on the Governor’s Executive Council, a five-member committee that approves state contracts and judicial appointments. They overlapped during the last of Pappas’ three terms and the first of Prescott’s two terms.

Pappas, who considers himself a pragmatic voice in Washington, touted his support for women, veterans and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the campaign. He made abortion rights a major issue, calling Prescott “radically out of step” and accusing him of distrusting women in health care decision-making.

“I don’t think politicians should make that decision,” he said during a debate last week. “I take direct inspiration from the people of New Hampshire.”

Prescott, who spent 10 years in the state Senate, said he opposes abortion but would not support a federal ban on the procedure. He said he would focus on securing the U.S.-Mexico border and reducing inflation and taxes. He said Pappas spent his time in Washington supporting liberal policies that he said increased taxes and illegal activity. immigration.

Prescott ran for the same congressional seat in 2022, finishing fourth in the GOP primaries, but beat six candidates this year to win the nomination.

“I’m asking you to look at my record, my behavior and who I am as a person,” he said during last week’s debate. “And I ask again for your confidence to work for you to ensure that we solve our border problems, our economy and secure our energy independence.”

2nd Congressional District

Tang Williams also tried twice to win the GOP nomination. She finished third in 2022 before beating a dozen candidates in this year’s Republican primary. Goodlander defeated an opponent to win the Democratic nomination.

Goodlander, who is married to President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, grew up in Nashua and recently returned there from Washington. She worked at the Justice Department as a senior antitrust official and advisor to Attorney General Merrick Garland before joining the White House chief of staff’s office earlier this year.

During her campaign, she promised to protect democracydevelop abortion access and confront corporate monopolies that she says are driving up the cost of housing, health care, prescription drugs and groceries.

“We can still come together as Democrats and Republicans to address the challenges that unite us as Americans, and that’s what I’ve been doing on the front lines of tackling some of the biggest drivers of high costs for the inhabitants of this state. » she declared during a debate last week.

Tang Williams is originally from China and became a US citizen in 1994 and now works as a business and legal consultant. A former chairwoman of the Libertarian Party of Colorado, she ran unsuccessfully there before moving to New Hampshire.

Describing herself as the embodiment of the American dream, she said her priorities in Washington would be to reduce inflation, improve border security and end what Republicans view as a “militarization” of government against the conservatives.

“Do you want someone who truly represents the people or do you want someone from the D.C. swamp?” » she declared during last week’s debate. “I will represent you with pride and transparency.”