Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced on Wednesday that she is retiring and will not seek reelection in 2026.
“I ran for public office to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire. That purpose has never, and will never, change,” Shaheen said. “But today, after careful consideration, I’m announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2026. It’s just time.”
Shaheen said even though she is leaving the Senate, she is not retiring as she said there are many challenges in America and worldwide.
“I am determined to work every day over the next two years and beyond to continue to try and make a difference for the people of New Hampshire and this country,” she said.
Shaheen has served in the Senate since 2009. Before that, she was the New Hampshire Governor from 1997 to 2003.
The senator’s retirement comes at a time when Democrats are in the minority in the Senate. Republicans have 53 senators, as Democrats have 45. The Senate has two independents, but they caucus with the Democrats.
Shaheen now joins two other Democratic senators, Gary Peters and Tina Smith, in saying they will not be running again in 2026.
Cook Political Report, a non-partisan election analysis company, says New Hampshire’s Senate Race leans towards the Democrats. The last time New Hampshire had a Republican senator was in 2017.
According to The Hill, Republicans are trying to get former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown to run for the open Senate seat. Brown represented Massachusetts from 2010 to 2013.
Brown thanked Shaheen for her service on X.
“I appreciate [Jeanne Shaheen’s] service to our state and for her support and vote for me as NH’s Ambassador to NZ and Samoa. Now it’s time for New Hampshire to have someone in the delegation who fights for our priorities and stands with, not against, the Trump agenda,” he said.
Former Governor Chris Sununu told The Washington Times on Tuesday that he is reconsidering a run for Senate after originally disregarding it.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected]. Follow Zachery on Twitter @zacheryschmidt2.
