Gay Rep. Chris Pappas wins reelection bid against anti-LGBTQ MAGA candidate

Out Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) has won his bid for reelection for a third term to represent New Hampshire’s First Congressional District.

His opponent, former Trump administration official Karoline Leavitt, was declared the loser with 80% of precincts reporting and 46% of votes compared to Pappas’ 54% of votes.

Pappas was first elected to the U.S. House in 2018 and became the state’s first out gay member of Congress while picking up the seat left vacant by retiring Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH). Last year, he announced his engagement to his boyfriend Vann Bentley.

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The centrist Democrat has gotten a score of 100 on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard for his previous two sessions of Congress, showing his staunch support of LGBTQ rights.

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Leavitt does not have a record in politics other than her work with the anti-LGBTQ – and virulently anti-transgender – Trump administration. But during her campaign, she demanded school officials out LGBTQ students to their parents.

She also supported Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law, telling Newsmax earlier this year: “Ron DeSantis is doing what’s right and, quite frankly, what is common sense. He is ensuring that our young children in our public school system… are not being taught this crap.”

So if she got her way in New Hampshire, teachers would potentially be barred from mentioning that their U.S. House representative is engaged to a man.