# New Hampshire's 1st congressional district

New Hampshire's 1st congressional district covers parts of Southern New Hampshire and the eastern portion of the state. The district contains parts of Hillsborough, Rockingham, Merrimack, Grafton, and Belknap counties; and the entirety of Strafford and Carroll counties.
The district contains Manchester, New Hampshire's most populous city, and its immediate suburbs. Most of the district's population resides in Rockingham County, which includes much of the Seacoast Region. The northern part of the district in Belknap, Carroll, and Grafton counties are far more rural.
The district is home to the University of New Hampshire, the state's largest university. Some of the largest employers in the district are Fidelity Investments, J. Jill, Elliot Health System, and The University System of New Hampshire. It is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Democrat Chris Pappas.
The district is one of seven with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of EVEN, meaning that the district votes almost identically to the national electorate. It was also identified as a presidential bellwether district by Sabato's Crystal Ball, having voted for the Electoral College winner in the past four presidential elections as of 2020.

## History

This district is competitive, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of EVEN. During the mid-2000s and the 2010s, the district was extremely competitive, having changed hands in five of the last eight elections, with an incumbent losing reelection each time. The streak was broken in 2020 when incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas won reelection; he later won reelection again in 2022, becoming the first representative elected to a third consecutive term in the district since John E. Sununu. The district was a presidential bellwhether starting in 2000, voting for the winner by narrow margins each time until 2024, when Kamala Harris narrowly carried the district.

## Composition

As of the 2021 redistricting cycle, the 1st district contains 74 municipalities.
Belknap County (9)
    Alton, Barnstead, Belmont, Gilford, Gilmanton, Laconia, Meredith, Sanbornton, Tilton
Carroll County (15)
    Bartlett, Brookfield, Chatham, Conway, Eaton, Effingham, Freedom, Hart's Location, Madison, Moultonborough, Ossipee, Tamworth, Tuftonboro, Wakefield, Wolfeboro
Hillsborough County (4)
    Bedford, Goffstown, Manchester, Merrimack
Merrimack County (1)
    Hooksett
Rockingham County (32)
    Auburn, Brentwood, Candia, Chester, Danville, Derry, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Fremont, Greenland, Hampstead, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, Kingston, Londonderry, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, Newton, North Hampton, Nottingham, Plaistow, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rye, Sandown, Seabrook, South Hampton, Stratham
Strafford County (13)
    All 13 municipalities

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 53% - 46% |
| 2008 | Senate | Shaheen 50% - 47% |
| 2010 | Senate | Ayotte 62% - 34% |
| 2010 | Governor | Lynch 51% - 47% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 51% - 49% |
| 2012 | Governor | Hassan 53% - 44% |
| 2014 | Governor | Hassan 51% - 49% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 48% - 46% |
| 2016 | Senate | Ayotte 49% - 47% |
| 2016 | Governor | Sununu 50% - 45% |
| 2018 | Governor | Sununu 55% - 44% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 52% - 46% |
| 2020 | Senate | Shaheen 56% - 42% |
| 2020 | Governor | Sununu 67% - 32% |
| 2022 | Senate | Hassan 53% - 45% |
| 2022 | Governor | Sununu 58% - 40% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 51% - 49% |
| 2024 | Governor | Ayotte 54% - 44% |

## List of members representing the district

| Representative | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1847 |||||
| Amos Tuck (Exeter) | Independent | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849 | 30th 31st 32nd | Elected late on March 9, 1847. Re-elected late on March 13, 1849. Re-elected late on March 11, 1851. Lost re-election. |
| Amos Tuck (Exeter) | Free Soil | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 | 30th 31st 32nd | Elected late on March 9, 1847. Re-elected late on March 13, 1849. Re-elected late on March 11, 1851. Lost re-election. |
| Amos Tuck (Exeter) | Whig | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | 30th 31st 32nd | Elected late on March 9, 1847. Re-elected late on March 13, 1849. Re-elected late on March 11, 1851. Lost re-election. |
| George W. Kittredge (Newmarket) | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd | Elected late on March 8, 1853. Lost re-election. |
| James Pike (Sanbornton Bridge) | Know Nothing | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 34th 35th | Elected late on March 13, 1855. Re-elected late on March 10, 1857. Retired. |
| James Pike (Sanbornton Bridge) | Republican | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 | 34th 35th | Elected late on March 13, 1855. Re-elected late on March 10, 1857. Retired. |
| Gilman Marston (Exeter) | Republican | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863 | 36th 37th | Elected late on March 8, 1859. Re-elected late on March 12, 1861. Retired to serve in the Union Army. |
| Daniel Marcy (Portsmouth) | Democratic | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865 | 38th | Elected late on March 10, 1863. Lost re-election. |
| Gilman Marston (Exeter) | Republican | March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867 | 39th | Elected late on March 14, 1865. Lost re-election. |
| Jacob Hart Ela (Rochester) | Republican | March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1871 | 40th 41st | Elected late on March 12, 1867. Re-elected late on March 9, 1869. Retired. |
| Ellery Albee Hibbard (Laconia) | Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected late on March 14, 1871. Lost re-election. |
| William B. Small (New Market) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected late on March 11, 1873. Retired. |
| Frank Jones (Portsmouth) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879 | 44th 45th | Elected late on March 9, 1875. Re-elected late on March 13, 1877. Retired. |
| Joshua G. Hall (Dover) | Republican | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883 | 46th 47th | Elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired. |
| Martin Alonzo Haynes (Lake Village) | Republican | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 | 48th 49th | Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Lost re-election. |
| Luther F. McKinney (Manchester) | Democratic | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889 | 50th | Elected in 1886. Lost re-election. |
| Alonzo Nute (Farmington) | Republican | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 | 51st | Elected in 1888. Retired to run for Governor of New Hampshire. |
| Luther F. McKinney (Manchester) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | Elected in 1890. Retired to run for Governor of New Hampshire. |
| Henry W. Blair (Manchester) | Republican | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | 53rd | Elected in 1892. Retired. |
| Cyrus A. Sulloway (Manchester) | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1913 | 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Lost re-election. |
| Eugene Elliott Reed (Manchester) | Democratic | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 | 63rd | Elected in 1912. Lost re-election. |
| Cyrus A. Sulloway (Manchester) | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 11, 1917 | 64th 65th | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 11, 1917 – May 29, 1917 | 65th | |
| Sherman Everett Burroughs (Manchester) | Republican | May 29, 1917 – January 27, 1923 | 65th 66th 67th | Elected to finish Sulloway's term. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Retired and died before next term began. |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 27, 1923 – March 3, 1923 | 67th | |
| William Nathaniel Rogers (Sanbornville) | Democratic | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925 | 68th | Elected in 1922. Lost re-election. |
| Fletcher Hale (Laconia) | Republican | March 4, 1925 – October 22, 1931 | 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | October 22, 1931 – January 5, 1932 | 72nd | |
| William Nathaniel Rogers (Sanbornville) | Democratic | January 5, 1932 – January 3, 1937 | 72nd 73rd 74th | Elected to finish Hale's term. Re-elected in 1934. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Arthur B. Jenks (Manchester) | Republican | January 3, 1937 – June 9, 1938 | 75th | Elected in 1936. Lost election contest. |
| Alphonse Roy (Manchester) | Democratic | June 9, 1938 – January 3, 1939 | 75th | Successfully contested Jenks's election. Lost re-election. |
| Arthur B. Jenks (Manchester) | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1943 | 76th 77th | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Lost renomination. |
| Chester Earl Merrow (Center Ossipee) | Republican | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1963 | 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Louis C. Wyman (Manchester) | Republican | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965 | 88th | Elected in 1962. Lost re-election. |
| Joseph Oliva Huot (Laconia) | Democratic | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967 | 89th | Elected in 1964. Lost re-election. |
| Louis C. Wyman (Manchester) | Republican | January 3, 1967 – December 31, 1974 | 90th 91st 92nd 93rd | Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired to run for U.S. senator and resigned when appointed. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975 | 93rd | |
| Norman D'Amours (Manchester) | Democratic | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985 | 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th | Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Bob Smith (Tuftonboro) | Republican | January 3, 1985 – December 7, 1990 | 99th 100th 101st | Elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. Resigned when appointed U.S. Senator. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 7, 1990 – January 3, 1991 | 101st | |
| Bill Zeliff (Jackson) | Republican | January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1997 | 102nd 103rd 104th | Elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired to run for Governor of New Hampshire. |
| John E. Sununu (Bedford) | Republican | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 | 105th 106th 107th | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Jeb Bradley (Wolfeboro) | Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | 108th 109th | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Lost re-election. |
| Carol Shea-Porter (Rochester) | Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | 110th 111th | Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election. |
| Frank Guinta (Manchester) | Republican | January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 | 112th | Elected in 2010. Lost re-election. |
| Carol Shea-Porter (Rochester) | Democratic | January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 | 113th | Elected again in 2012. Lost re-election. |
| Frank Guinta (Manchester) | Republican | January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 | 114th | Elected again in 2014. Lost re-election. |
| Carol Shea-Porter (Rochester) | Democratic | January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 | 115th | Elected again in 2016. Retired. |
| Chris Pappas (Manchester) | Democratic | January 3, 2019 – present | 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Electoral history
### 2012

2012 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Carol Shea-Porter | 171,650 | 49.7 |
| | Republican | Frank Guinta (incumbent) | 158,659 | 46.0 |
| | Libertarian | Brendan Kelly | 14,521 | 4.2 |
| | n/a | Write-ins | 192 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 345,022 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2014

2014 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Frank Guinta | 125,508 | 51.7 |
| | Democratic | Carol Shea-Porter (incumbent) | 116,769 | 48.1 |
| | n/a | Write-ins | 459 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 242,736 | 100.0 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2016

2016 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Carol Shea-Porter | 162,080 | 44.3 |
| | Republican | Frank Guinta (incumbent) | 157,176 | 42.9 |
| | Independent | Shawn O' Connor | 34,735 | 9.5 |
| | Independent | Brendan Kelly | 6,074 | 1.7 |
| | Libertarian | Robert Lombardo | 5,507 | 1.5 |
| | n/a | Write-ins | 412 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 365,984 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2018

2018 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chris Pappas | 155,884 | 53.6 |
| | Republican | Eddie Edwards | 130,996 | 45.0 |
| | Libertarian | Dan Belforti | 4,048 | 1.4 |
| | n/a | Write-ins | 111 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 291,039 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

2020 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chris Pappas (incumbent) | 205,606 | 51.32 |
| | Republican | Matt Mowers | 185,159 | 46.21 |
| | Libertarian | Zachary Dumont | 9,747 | 2.43 |
| | N/A | Scatter | 149 | 0.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 400,661 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

2022 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chris Pappas (incumbent) | 167,391 | 54.00 |
| | Republican | Karoline Leavitt | 142,229 | 45.89 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 342 | 0.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 309,962 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2024

2024 New Hampshire's 1st congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chris Pappas (incumbent) | 218,577 | 54.00 |
| | Republican | Russell Prescott | 185,936 | 45.93 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 295 | 0.07 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 404,808 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |