JTA — US Rep. Chris Pappas swiftly defeated progressive opponent Karishma Manzur in a Democratic Senate primary in New Hampshire on Tuesday, capping off one of several races in which criticism of Israel and AIPAC became prominent talking points.
The Associated Press called the race just an hour after polls closed, at 6 p.m., when 22% of the votes had been counted. As the night wore on, with 88% of the votes tallied, Pappas had accrued 65% of the votes to Manzur’s 32.8%.
“If you look at October 7 as the starting point, then you might say Israel is defending itself,” Manzur said. “But you should actually look at the 100 years of war between the two people.”
Pappas told supporters on Tuesday evening: “Today, the voters of New Hampshire have sent a clear message: They’re fed up with what’s happening in our politics, and they’re ready for change. We’ve got to turn the page on Donald Trump’s reckless leadership, on corruption, on the rigged economy.”
Having secured the Democratic nomination, Pappas is seeking to fill the seat of three-term Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is not seeking reelection this year. As he and Manzur spoke to the press during the final weeks of the campaign, their messaging often included condemnations of Israeli leadership.
