Pappas, Prescott make stops in Gilford in days leading up to election

GILFORD — The final contenders to represent New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District each made stops in the Lakes Region just days out from the Nov. 5 General Election. 

Democrat Chris Pappas, who’s held the seat since 2019 and is seeking reelection to Congress, visited recently to speak with private contractors involved in an infrastructure project funded by federal legislation he’d supported.

Republican Russell Prescott, who formerly served as a state senator and on the Executive Council, is seeking to flip the district and has campaigned broadly on his approach to reduce the federal deficit by cutting government spending to reduce consumer inflation. He came out on top of a competitive primary election, narrowly beating Novel Iron Works owner Hollie Noveletsky in September. Prescott visited DGF Industrial Innovations Group Friday.

Recent polls show Prescott trailing Pappas. In a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll conducted Oct. 29 and Nov. 2 and including 1,433 likely voters, Pappas held a 12 point lead over Prescott. An Oct. 28-29 Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll including 1,407 likely voters placed Pappas 7 points ahead of Prescott. 

Pappas met with contractors at a resurfacing project, funded in part by money allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and learned about the project’s progress and the importance of safe infrastructure on Oct. 25.

“I was proud to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and advocate for critical funding which is fixing roads and bridges and preparing our communities for the future. I’ll continue to fight for solutions that make a real difference for our safety, economy, and quality of life across New Hampshire,” Pappas wrote in a press statement.

Pappas serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and supported the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

"It's critically important that we ensure our New Hampshire infrastructure is safe, strong and resilient for the future. We're grateful to work with local and federal partners like Congressman Pappas to fix and maintain our roads in the Lakes region and across the state of New Hampshire,” wrote Larry Major of Pike Industries in a press statement.

And Prescott, meeting with Belknap County Republican Committee Vice President Doug Lambert, who co-founded and operates DGF Industrial Innovations Group, on Friday morning said business owners like the Lamberts should take pride in their accomplishments.

“I saw today that Doug and Gisele have a lot to be proud of, not only in the success of their business through hard work and long hours, but also in the way they respect and appreciate their employees,” Prescott wrote in a press statement. 

DGF Industrial Innovations Group machines and fabricates steel structures and components.

Prescott, who serves as president of R.E. Prescott Company, a wholesale distributor and manufacturer of water treatment systems located in Exeter, said he will bring the perspective of a business owner to Congress. Prescott is a career engineer and says he’s designed many of the products manufactured by his company. 

“Like Doug and Gisele, I have strived for my own business to be a great place to work,” he wrote. “I will bring these same values to my work as your congressman in Washington, D.C.”