I and many others of the 50,000 supporters of Karishma Manzur plan to support Chris Pappas in November, but we also want him to do something for us: Support Block the Bombs (going to Israel) Act.
Karishma captured a third of those voting in the Democratic primary — despite being outspent about 50 to 1 — and she captured them because of her positions on the issues. A peace candidate, she wanted us to stop participating and funding these endless wars, particularly giving unconditional military support for Israel as it continues to commit war crimes in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. A medical scientist, she supported Medicare for All. As an immigrant, she called for the abolition of ICE. Pappas was not for any of these things.
I didn’t just vote for Karishma. I held one of her first house parties in my Concord home, put up lawn signs on Warren Street, knocked on doors for her on the South End and held her signs at the polls for seven hours in front of the Christa McAuliffe school on Primary Day.
I maintain she would have had a good chance of defeating John E. Sununu in November because of the excitement she generated.
I’m not excited by Chris Pappas, who votes more with the Republicans than most other Democrats. I couldn’t stomach volunteering for him, because to convince other voters, you have to believe in your candidate. I don’t believe in Pappas.
But I’m going to vote for him, because his opponent is worse.
Sununu is a Republican endorsed by Donald Trump, and the Senate could go either way in this election. We know that Republicans hardly ever stand up to Trump. If the Republicans maintain control of the Senate and the House, Trump will have two more years of free rein to continue his attacks on our planet, our democracy and our freedom. It will mean more ICE agents roaming our streets, more bombs falling on Iran, more tariffs and higher prices at the pumps and at the grocery counter. It will even mean more military aid to Israel than under the Democrats, since the Democratic Party — and even Pappas — is shifting on this issue.
Pappas is not the candidate of my choice, but in this election, we have no choice. Staying home or voting third party or scrawling a meaningless write-in will only help Sununu get elected, which will only help Republicans maintain control of the Senate. I cannot let that happen. I’m voting for Pappas. I’m not happy about it, but I don’t vote to feel good. I vote to nudge our government in the right direction, and that is not in the direction of Donald Trump.
Many other Karishma supporters don’t agree with me, particularly in the peace movement. They are so upset about Pappas’s votes to send weapons to Israel, that they might withhold their vote, or write in Karishma on Election Day. Although I respect these people immensely, I think they are making a mistake that will hurt our country and cause even more suffering in the Middle East.
They are asking for Pappas to “earn their vote.” Some would like him to adopt all of Karishma’s positions, but I think most would be somewhat appeased if Pappas backed the Block the Bomb Act, which would prevent offensive weapons being sent to Israel.
Pappas repeatedly voted to fund the genocide that is happening in Gaza, once having five peace activists arrested when they sat in at his office requesting an audience. Pappas and his staff have since started meeting those same activists, and during the last vote on an amendment to block the bombs, he voted “present.” That’s not the kind of leadership we were looking for, but it was an improvement.
The U.S. House won’t be in session before the election, so there can be no more votes, on this or any other issues before Election Day, but Pappas can join the 81 other representatives in co-sponsoring the Act, an indication of how he would vote in the lame duck session in the House and should he become Senator. Backing the Act would help his campaign, since 60% of voters nationwide oppose sending weapons to Israel. More importantly, it is the right thing to do.
Chris, if you want more of us to vote for you, you should indicate that you are going to vote for us.
Bob Sanders, a former reporter, is a founder of Not In My Name, NH, a predominantly Jewish group opposed to Israel’s actions in the Middle East and Ride Against War on Gaza. Neither group is endorsing a candidate.