Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a historic political career and creating a competitive open seat. Her decision is a blow to Democrats' hopes of reclaiming the 53-47 Republican-controlled Senate. Potential Republican contenders include former Gov. Chris Sununu and former Sen. Scott Brown, while Rep. Chris Pappas is a likely Democratic candidate for the Granite State seat.
Shaheen retirement announcement
- ▪Shaheen clarified she is not retiring early and plans to serve out the remainder of her term, which ends in 2027
- ▪Shaheen, who turned 78 in January 2025, announced her decision in a video, stating, 'It’s just time.'
- ▪Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire announced on March 12, 2025, that she will not seek reelection in 2026
2026 Senate control battle
- ▪Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, including two independents who caucus with Democrats
- ▪National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Tim Scott called Shaheen’s retirement 'welcome news for Granite Staters eager for new leadership.'
- ▪Shaheen's retirement is considered a significant blow to Democrats' efforts to reclaim the Senate majority in the 2026 midterm elections
- ▪Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas is strongly considering a run for the open Senate seat and is seen as a likely successor
Democratic seat vulnerabilities
- ▪Republicans also see pickup opportunities in Georgia, where Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff is expected to face a tough reelection
- ▪Democrats' best pickup opportunity is considered to be in Maine, where Republican Sen. Susan Collins is up for reelection
- ▪Shaheen's retirement is the third from a Democratic senator in a potentially competitive state, following announcements from Gary Peters of Michigan and Tina Smith of Minnesota
Republican candidate prospects
- ▪Scott Brown unsuccessfully challenged Jeanne Shaheen for the same Senate seat in 2014 and served as ambassador to New Zealand in the first Trump administration
- ▪Former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, a Republican, is also considering a run for the New Hampshire seat
- ▪Former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican, is openly considering a run for the Senate seat
Shaheen political legacy
- ▪Jeanne Shaheen was the first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a governor and a U.S. senator
- ▪In the Senate, Shaheen is the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee and co-created the Paycheck Protection Program
- ▪Shaheen served three terms as New Hampshire's governor, starting in 1996, before being elected to the Senate in 2008
New Hampshire electoral history
- ▪Despite its all-Democratic congressional delegation, New Hampshire has a history of electing leaders from both parties, including Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte in 2024
- ▪A Republican has not won a U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire since Kelly Ayotte's victory in 2010
- ▪In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump lost New Hampshire by less than 3 percentage points
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