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New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen Announces 2026 Retirement

Shaheen's decision not to seek reelection adds to Democrats' challenges in reclaiming the Senate majority.

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) speaks during a press conference with fellow Democratic senators calling on the Trump administration to continue Medicare drug price negotiations on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 22, 2025. REUTERS/Jon Cherry
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen at the Capitol on Jan. 21, 2025.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) speaks with Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), left, at a press conference about the Nation Security Supplemental on Dec. 6, 2023 in Washington, D.C.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen speaks at NHTI Concord Community College in Concord, New Hampshire, on October 22, 2024.

Overview

  • Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, confirmed she will not run for reelection in 2026, ending her decades-long political career.
  • Shaheen, the first woman to serve as both governor and senator in the U.S., has been a prominent figure in New Hampshire politics since the 1990s.
  • Her retirement creates another open Senate seat in a battleground state, complicating Democrats' efforts to regain control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority.
  • New Hampshire's political landscape has been competitive, with recent elections showing narrow margins between Democrats and Republicans.
  • Potential Republican candidates, including former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, are reportedly considering bids for the seat.