Manzur first Democrat to challenge Pappas for U.S. Senate seat

Union Leader | By Paul Feely Union Leader Staff

Karishma Manzur, Ph.D., a medical scientist, science writer and nonprofit leader from Exeter, is set to launch a campaign in Manchester for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2026.

In doing so, Manzur becomes the first Democrat to announce a primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas. Manzur’s campaign launch party is set for Wednesday, from 6-7:30 p.m. at The Hill Bar & Grille, 50 Chalet Court in Manchester.

Manzur has served on the boards of NH Ranked Choice Voting and NH Open Democracy, and previously served on the board of NH Peace Action.

In announcing her bid, Manzur called herself the “candidate for the U.S. Senate who follows the facts for the people of New Hampshire.”

“I’ve spent over 20 years working on life-saving medical treatments, but disheartened by the suffering of millions of Americans, I transitioned from the scientific field to the nonprofit sector,” Manzur wrote in a social media post. “Tragically, the struggles of millions (due to the housing crisis, rising cost of living, broken healthcare system, and so much more) aren’t accidental. As a scientist, I follow the facts, and the truth is: billionaires and corporations are buying influence in Congress, and too many elected officials are serving their donors instead of the people who elected them. It’s not just unfair. It’s un-American. And it must change.”

In a social media post, state Rep. Suraj Budathoki, D-Manchester, said Manzur is a “medical research scientist, an immigrant, and a lifelong advocate for justice” who has dedicated her career to “finding cures for devastating diseases and fighting for a healthier, fairer future.”

“She is not a career politician — she is stepping into this race to bring bold, people-first leadership at a time when our communities need it most,” Budathoki wrote.

New Hampshire Republicans welcomed Manzur to the race for U.S. Senate by referring to her as a “far-left Democrat.”

“New Hampshire liberals are smelling blood in the water after the failed anointment of Chris Pappas as their hand-picked nominee,” NHGOP Chairman Jim McEachern said in a statement. “Despite Ray Buckley and Washington D.C. Democrats’ best efforts, Pappas is being rejected by his own base.”

Two Republicans have already announced bids for the Senate seat: former ambassador and U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis.

Last month, the Chris Pappas for Senate campaign announced it raised more than $1.8 million in the second quarter and had more than $2 million on hand.

State Rep. Tony Caplan, D-Henniker, announced his support for Manzur in a social media post, saying she would represent all people of New Hampshire, “not just the well-connected and powerful.”

“I’m sure you’d agree with me that we are living through a dangerous transition for our country and the world,” Caplan wrote. “We need a new crop of leaders committed to defending democracy, human rights, equity, free speech, and science against the onslaught of misinformation and hate washing over the world.

“Karishma is a proud scientist, mom, Bangladeshi-American, peace activist from the Seacoast of the Granite State who is all of the above and more. She represents a fresh, progressive wave of change that is beginning to emerge as an antidote to the politics of nationalism, genocide, oligarchy and dystopia.”