TL/DR –
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire has announced she will not run for reelection, ending her historic career as the first female to serve as both governor and senator in the US. Her departure is a severe blow to the Democrats, who are facing a challenging political situation in the next year’s midterm elections, with Republicans currently holding 53 seats in comparison to the Democrats’ 47. The state of New Hampshire has a history of electing leaders from both political parties, and Shaheen’s departure creates a potential opportunity for the Republicans to pick up another seat.
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the first woman to serve as both governor and senator in the US, will not seek reelection next year. This announcement ends her historic political career and presents challenges to Democrats who aim to reclaim the Senate majority.
Before Shaheen’s decision, Democrats faced a tough political landscape in the midterms, especially in the Senate where Republicans currently hold 53 seats compared to the Democrats’ 47, including two independents who side with Democrats.
The party controlling the Senate majority guides President Donald Trump’s crucial political, judicial nominations and his legislative agenda.
Presently, the Democrats’ best chance for a pick-up in 2026 is Maine. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, the only GOP senator from New England and serving in a state Trump lost, is up for reelection.
Yet, with a four-seat upper chamber advantage, Republicans have legitimate pick-up opportunities in Georgia, Michigan, and now New Hampshire.
Shaheen, a major political force in New Hampshire for years, served as the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee and most likely would have been easily reelected if she opted for another term.
Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, the first Trump administration’s ambassador to New Zealand, was contemplating a New Hampshire Senate bid before Shaheen’s announcement. Brown challenged Shaheen unsuccessfully in 2014.
Even though New Hampshire has slightly favored Democrats in recent presidential elections, the state has a long track record of electing leaders from both parties. Republican Kelly Ayotte was elected governor last fall, when Trump lost the state by less than 3 percentage points.
In 1996, Shaheen became the first woman elected New Hampshire governor and was later elected to the Senate in 2008.
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