Mansharamani becomes first GOP candidate in 2nd CD race
Apr. 10—CONCORD — Businessman and 2022 U.S. Senate hopeful Vikram Mansharamani of Lincoln became the first Republican candidate to announce for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
"Washington, D.C., is completely dysfunctional. The politicians have made a mess of things, and we need to shake things up. Throughout my career I haven't been afraid to push back and speak the truth, whether in the boardroom or the classroom, and that's exactly what I will do in Congress," Mansharamani said Wednesday.
"The last thing America needs is another wishy-washy politician who wants to become a Washington insider. I am running to bring real world experience and solutions to the mess in D.C."
Former Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern of Concord is currently the only Democratic candidate for the seat, which six-term U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., will be retiring from at year's end.
Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Becky Whitley of Hopkinton is exploring her own Democratic bid, as is Justice Department lawyer Maggie Goodlander of Portsmouth.
In 2022, Mansharamani, 50, finished fourth in the GOP Senate primary won by retired Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc.
Mansharamani said he'll focus first on battling illegal immigration and fighting inflation.
"Just look at the uncontrolled flow of people and drugs across our borders. It's a national security disaster that is wreaking havoc in our neighborhoods and destroying our communities. Let me be clear: As the son of legal immigrants, I wholeheartedly believe immigration is good for our country," Mansharamani said.
"I believe we need a 'tall wall and a wide gate' — a secure border and a welcoming legal immigration system. But the first step is securing the border."
Mansharamani is a best-selling author who has advised Fortune 500 companies on how to grow their businesses.
He first wrote, "Boombustology" about the history of financial bubbles and in 2020 wrote, "Think For Yourself: Restoring Common Sense in an Age of Experts and Artificial Intelligence.
Last month, he published a third book, "The Making of a Generalist."
"The politicians printed, borrowed, and spent too much money. It's time for some fiscal sobriety. We need to stop the out-of-control spending and live within our means," Mansharamani said.
"Yes, that means tough choices, but working families and seniors on fixed incomes have to do that every day. If NH families can do it, so can Congress."
Sununu nominated candidate and spouse
Mansharamani's parents were born in India, his mother a dietitian and his father an automobile mechanic.
He took out loans to pay for college and graduate school with degrees from Harvard and Yale University.
"I have lived that (American) dream and I want to secure it for our children and grandchildren. America is more than a country, it's a promise — a promise of equal opportunity, not equal outcomes," Mansharamani said.
From 2017-22, Mansharamani lectured at Harvard University.
He said Harvard "canceled" him after administrators learned he was a Republican and was running for the U.S. Senate.
At the time he had taught for 13 years at Harvard and Yale.
"I was canceled because I committed the unpardonable sin of being a Republican," he said during an interview while seeking the Senate seat. "It is just not as a diverse as it used to be or it should be."
Harvard officials said he was not fired, and contracts are issued on an annual basis.
Last summer, Gov. Chris Sununu nominated Mansharamani's wife, Kristen, who went on to become the state's first special education advocate, earning $100,250 a year.
A undergraduate of Yale University, Kristen Mansharamani has a law degree from Harvard and worked for six years in the Boston law firm of Ropes & Gray, specializing in corporate litigation in state and federal courts.
Sununu also nominated Mansharamani and the Executive Council confirmed him to a seat on the Business Finance Authority's board of directors.
During the 2024 presidential primary campaign, Mansharamani joined Sununu in endorsing former South Carolina Gov. and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley over former President Donald Trump and the rest of the GOP field.
Mansharamani has been hosting a weekly blog entitled, "Navigating Uncertainty."
Other Republicans considering a bid include Hanover investor Bill Hanlem and House Majority Floor Leader Joe Sweeney, R-Salem.
There are five GOP candidates already running led by Lily Tang Williams of Weare, who finished third in a GOP primary for this seat in 2022.
