Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announces she will not seek reelection in New Hampshire in 2026

Mar 12, 2025

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.