Attorney and National Guard officer Christian Urrutia entered the NH-01 Democratic primary Tuesday, the latest sign that the name “Shaheen” isn’t enough to scare away the competition.
“(My parents) taught me hard work, not inheritance, builds character,” Urrutia, 41, says in the announcement video he released Tuesday. “Familiar names and the politics of yesterday will not be enough to win this race.”
The comments appear to reference Stefany Shaheen, daughter of retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and the presumed frontrunner in the primary.
Asked about Shaheen campaign supporters who perceive his comments that way, Urrutia told NHJournal, “They’re going to do what they’re going to do. What I’m talking about are the issues. What I’m talking about is the fact that we need new leaders with new solutions.”
Also in the race are Harvard instructor Carleigh Beriont and former Obama administration official and Marine veteran Maura Sullivan. N.H. state Rep. Alice Wade (D-Dover) is considering a run as well.
Urrutia is a native of Hudson, N.H. and a graduate of Alvirne High School. He has a law degree from the University of Michigan and worked in the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office. In addition to his work in the Army National Guard, Urrutia serves as a director of community policy for Airbnb.
He also served as a special counsel to the Biden-Harris transition team.
Urrutia’s announcement speech, delivered at Arms Park along the Merrimack River in Manchester, had two main themes: advocating for progressive policies and criticizing the current leadership of the Democratic Party.
On the policy front, Urrutia focused heavily on progressive policy priorities, including Medicare for All, universal daycare, and free community college and trade school. He also wants federally funded tax credits for student loan relief.
“We need to give people the ability to get a competitive degree, to go out into the workforce without the crushing debt that they’re facing,” Urrutia said, referencing the $200,000 in student loans he needed to get his law degree from Michigan.
“I had to take $200,000 out (in loans), I was $200,000 in the hole just to get to the starting line. That’s wrong.”
As for the current state of the Democratic Party, the first-time candidate didn’t hold back on his views.
“The leadership of the Democratic Party hasn’t fought hard enough over the past few years,” Urrutia said. “People deserve better from the Democrats. We deserve the Democratic Party that fights more.”
Unlike most of his fellow Democrats, Urrutia’s announcement was open to the press, and he took questions from all of the reporters in attendance.
Asked about the Shaheenn factor in his race, Urrutia said, “I think the Democratic Party can’t dust off the playbook that we’ve been using for 20 years and say, ‘Hey, all of a sudden we think this is magically gonna fix things.’ It’s not. We need new leaders. We need change. We need people who are not scared to be bold.”
Only one Republican, businessman and Army veteran Chris Bright, has entered the race, though more candidates are expected. Current New Hampshire state party vice chair Hollie Noveletsky is expected to run, and Manchester Alderman Joe Kelly Levasseur has talked about possibly getting in the race.
The National Republican Congressional Committee weighed in on Urruttia’s announcement.
“A nepo baby, a liberal Harvard lecturer, a carpetbagger, and now, Christian Urrutia — who used his announcement to condemn the leaders of his own party — enter a primary race,” said NRCC Spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole. “We all know how this story ends. These radical Democrats are as out of touch as they come, and Republicans will turn NH-01 red next fall.”
Democrats have won the NH-01 seat in six of the seven previous contests, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report ranks it as “Likely Democrat.” Current incumbent Rep. Chris Pappas is running to fill the vacancy in the U.S. Senate being left behind by Jeanne Shaheen’s retirement in 2026.
Stefany Shaheen has the highest name ID by far in the race, according to the latest UNH Survey Center poll. But Urrutia said Tuesday he isn’t worried about that. Calling himself “unapologetically progressive,” he believes his message will resonate once Democratic primary voters hear it.
“If people are interested in a change candidate that doesn’t hew to what the party insiders have said, who is willing to challenge convention, who’s willing to speak boldly about the problems this country is facing, I think they’ll like what I have to say.”