Trump Endorses Leavitt in 1st Congressional District Race

First Congressional District Republican Karoline Leavitt has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Leavitt, 25, worked in the White House press office during the Trump Administration and later went to work as communications director for New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. She has made no secret of her support of Trump during her first political campaign.

"I am proud to have worked for President Trump, certainly the greatest president in the history of my life, and I know that many voters across this district feel the same," Leavitt told Seacoast Current before the Republican primary.

"Karoline Leavitt is fantastic. Vote for her and win. She has my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Trump wrote on his Truth social media account Saturday.

Leavitt's campaign did not respond to Seacoast Current's request for comment about the endorsement.

The First Congressional Race between Leavitt and incumbent Democrat Rep. Chris Pappas is essentially a tie. The most recent poll of the race, an AARP New Hampshire survey, shows Leavitt with 47% and Pappas at 48%, with a margin of error of 4.4%.

Dean Spiliotes, SNHU Civic Scholar, founder of NH Political Capital, and Seacoast Current's political analyst, said the endorsement is a double-edged sword for Leavitt.

"It will cement Leavitt's popularity with MAGA world, and possibly help her in the House Republican Caucus if she wins. But it may also push independents who are on the fence and not fond of Trump towards Pappas," Spiliotes said.

On his campaign Twitter account, incumbent Rep. Chris Pappas noted Leavitt's role in the White House during the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.

"This endorsement is today’s reminder that she’s blindly loyal to him and can’t cite a single issue where she breaks with Trump," Pappas tweeted.

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley reiterated the party's belief that Trump is not welcome in the Granite State.

“We told Trump in 2016 and in 2020 that he is not welcome here in New Hampshire, and we’ll tell him again this November. I don’t know how many times Granite Staters have to reject Trump and his far-right MAGA agenda before he finally takes the hint, but we’ll send that message as many times as it takes," Buckley said in a statement. "Still, after spending the entire primary campaign degrading herself to secure Trump’s endorsement, I’m glad she finally got what she wanted — validation from a twice-impeached failure who will be remembered for his role in inciting a deadly insurrection to overturn a free and fair election to stay in office. Congratulations, Karoline, you’ve made it.”

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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