Dem Sen. Shaheen Won’t Seek Re-Election, Creating Possible GOP Pick Up
Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire has become the latest Democratic senator to declare her retirement, opting not to seek re-election in the 2026 midterms, as reported on Wednesday.
The three-term senator and former governor's decision to step down presents another hurdle for Democrats as they work to reclaim control of the Senate from Republicans in the upcoming elections, according to Fox News.
“I ran for public office to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire,” Shaheen stated. “That purpose has never and will never change. But today, after careful consideration, I am announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek re-election to the Senate in 2026.”
There had been widespread speculation over whether Shaheen, who first won her Senate seat in 2008 and this year became the first woman to serve in one of the top two roles on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, would run for another term.
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Shaheen's relatively low fundraising total of $170,000 in the final quarter of 2024 fueled speculation about her electoral plans. However, sources within her political circle pointed out that she had not prioritized fundraising in the last months of 2024, which included the conclusion of the presidential election.
Fox News confirmed that Shaheen had a significant fundraising event set for March 20 in Manchester, New Hampshire. There is no official word yet on whether that event has been canceled.
Republicans see a prime opportunity to turn New Hampshire’s Senate seat red, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee had already targeted Shaheen in ads regarding her stance on USAID funding, which the Trump administration moved to cut.
Former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, who previously challenged Shaheen in 2014 but fell short, is reportedly weighing another bid for the seat, according to Fox.
In last November’s elections, Republicans flipped four Senate seats previously held by Democrats, securing control of the chamber. They are now looking to expand their majority in 2026.
Alongside New Hampshire, Republicans have set their sights on other key battlegrounds, including Michigan, where Democratic Senator Gary Peters announced in January that he would not seek another term. Georgia is also a target, with first-term Senator Jon Ossoff considered vulnerable in the swing state.
Additionally, Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota declared last month that she will not run for re-election in 2026, heightening GOP hopes of making gains in a traditionally blue-leaning state.
On the other hand, Democrats are planning an offensive strategy against Republican-held Senate seats, such as Maine, where Senator Susan Collins is up for re-election, and North Carolina, where Senator Thom Tillis is aiming for another term.
Former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican, has also indicated he may enter the Senate race after previously dismissing the idea.
“I have not ruled it out completely, but folks in Washington have asked me to think about it and to consider it, and that is just kind of where I am,” Sununu told The Washington Times on Tuesday when asked about his potential candidacy.
After leaving office in January 2025 with strong approval ratings, Sununu, despite often clashing with Trump during his tenure, ultimately backed the former president in the 2024 general election after initially supporting moderate GOP contender Nikki Haley in the primaries.
In the past, Sununu had clearly stated his lack of interest in serving in Congress. “I would rule myself completely out of a U.S. Senate race, to be sure,” he said last year to a local news outlet. “Politically, we’ll see what happens down the road. But in terms of Senate or Congress, nothing I have any interest in whatsoever.”