Chris Pappas (born June 4, 1980) is a Democratic politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district since 2019, making history as the first openly gay man to represent the state in Congress. His district includes Manchester, the Seacoast, and the Lakes Region, and he previously served on the New Hampshire Executive Council from 2013 to 2019 after earlier stints in the state House and as county treasurer. A notable part of his personal history is his family's Manchester restaurant, the Puritan Backroom, where his grandfather claimed to have invented the chicken tender in 1974. Pappas has won four consecutive House elections, defeating Republican opponents like Eddie Edwards, Matt Mowers, Karoline Leavitt, and Russell Prescott. In April 2025, he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen, and after winning the Democratic primary, he is set to face former Republican Senator John E. Sununu in the general election. His political career began as a high school volunteer for Shaheen's 1996 gubernatorial campaign, and he has remained a prominent figure in New Hampshire politics ever since.