Tariffs Harm Small Businesses and New Hampshire Economy

Key Quotes

"Well look i i love my state as you do right um i am committed to the communities of new hampshire and the people of a place that i've always called home and so i do have this connection to place and at a moment like this where there's so much coming in uh from this administration there are so many challenges for our families and small businesses with respect to the economy i just want to find a a bigger way that i can advocate for people who need some common sense leadership right now and focus on how we can get things done and stand up to those forces that i think are getting us so far off track"

Chris Pappas explains his motivation for running for the U.S. Senate by emphasizing his deep connection to New Hampshire and his desire to advocate for its residents. Pappas highlights the current economic challenges facing families and small businesses, indicating a need for common-sense leadership to address these issues and counter what he perceives as detrimental forces.

"I'm just today i was at a small business and talking with the business owner who is scrambling to be able to navigate these tariffs and find a way to serve his customers he paid 400 000 extra in tariffs over the last year because of the products that he imports from uh allies and partner nations around the world to be able to serve his customers to a small business so he can't grow he's not hiring uh and this is having a dramatic impact on the economy right here in new hampshire"

Chris Pappas illustrates the negative impact of tariffs on small businesses by recounting a specific example of a business owner facing significant extra costs. Pappas argues that these tariffs hinder business growth and job creation, demonstrating a direct, detrimental effect on the local economy in New Hampshire.

"so we've got to it's instead of self inflicted wounds uh instead of these manufactured crises crises that we see too often in washington we've got to focus on people and so that's what i want to do in the us senate uh focus on getting to work for the people of new hampshire delivering and uh ultimately that's the test of our political system can we translate the will of the people into meaningful progress and i believe we still can't even in a divided nation"

Chris Pappas advocates for a shift in political focus from self-inflicted wounds and manufactured crises to prioritizing the needs of the people. Pappas states his intention to work in the U.S. Senate to deliver for the people of New Hampshire and believes that translating the public's will into progress is achievable, even in a divided nation.

"but you can actually talk the talk because you own and operate a small business uh tell our listeners about it well it's it's part of what uh anchors my public service and when you've run a small business it's often hard for you to really appreciate where the business stops and where the community starts i mean you are just very much a part of the community and that's the way that our four generation family restaurant business is here in the city of manchester new hampshire"

Chris Pappas connects his experience running a family restaurant to his public service, explaining how small business ownership deeply integrates one into the community. Pappas suggests that this intimate connection between business and community is a fundamental aspect of his approach to leadership and public life.

"every day brings challenges uh every day any number of things can go wrong uh there's so much that you're just trying to get accomplished by serving people who come in through the doors meeting payroll dealing with vendors uh you know there were a lot of 65 70 hour weeks uh that i was working a lot of early mornings and late nights every day's an all hands on deck moment and i think it gave me an appreciation especially as we entered the pandemic period of just um you know the way that um public policy uh the way that the federal government can intersect with small business uh and either help or hurt depending on how programs are designed"

Chris Pappas describes the demanding nature of running a small business, highlighting the daily challenges, long hours, and the constant need for all-hands-on-deck effort. Pappas notes that this experience, particularly during the pandemic, provided him with a deep understanding of how public policy and federal government actions can significantly impact small businesses, for better or worse.

"so i think that you can stand firm on what you believe in uh you don't have to compromise on your core values but you always should look for ways to make people's lives better and so whether that's helping new hampshire veterans whether it's fighting ways for uh small businesses to get the support they deserve right now we're working on the healthcare issue i'm working with a uh coalition of 35 house members republicans and democrats to try to unlock this log jam around how we get something done for folks to maintain their healthcare coverage at the end of the year"

Chris Pappas articulates a philosophy of principled compromise, stating that one can maintain core values while actively seeking ways to improve people's lives. Pappas provides examples of his work, such as supporting veterans and small businesses, and highlights his bipartisan efforts to address healthcare coverage issues.