Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, announced on Wednesday that she will not seek a fourth term in office, giving Democrats another opportunity to bring in new blood during a midterm that should be favorable to them.
“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 in a video on X.
Shaheen, 78, has served in the Senate since 2009 and was the first woman in U.S. history to be elected both governor and senator. She’s also the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“While I am not seeking reelection, believe me, I am not retiring. I am determined to work every day over the next two years and beyond to continue to try to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire and this country,” she said.
Times have certainly changed since Shaheen was first elected to Congress.
In an interview with The New York Times, Shaheen said that the “current environment” made it harder for her to step away from her role. She singled out some of President Donald Trump’s more egregious actions since beginning his second term, including his pettiness toward political foes, hostile behavior toward Ukraine, and seemingly never-ending cuts to federal programs.
Shaheen’s decision to leave the Senate will surely create a scramble to replace her. Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire is already angling to take her seat, with a source familiar with his thinking telling Axios that he’s “definitely considering” a run.
According to The Washington PostRep. Maggie Goodlander, who New Hampshire just elected to the chamber in 2024, might also run for Shaheen’s seat.
But Republicans are also eyeing the seat.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina wrote on X that news of Shaheen’s “retirement” (a jab at Shaheen, who has clarified that she is not retiring) was “welcome news.”
“New Hampshire has a proud tradition of electing common-sense Republicans. And [it] will do so again in 2026!” he said.
Similarly, Scott Brown, the one-term senator of Massachusetts who moved to New Hampshire, also expressed a desire to throw his hat in the ring.
“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 wrote on X.
Democrats will now be defending three open Senate seatswith Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan and Tina Smith of Minnesota announcing that they will also not be seeking reelection next year.
While this makes the party’s path to reclaiming the majority even harder—as Democrats have fewer pickup opportunities than Republicans—all three open seats should be somewhat easy for Democrats to hold.
In February, the nonpartisan election prognosticator Cook Political Report rated the Minnesota and New Hampshire seats as “Likely Democratic,” though the Michigan seat is ranked as a “Toss-up,” meaning either party could grab it.
In New Hampshire specifically, Democrats have the advantage of succeeding Shaheen, who comfortably won her election in 2020 by nearly 16 percentage pointsdespite Trump coming within 3 points of winning the state in 2024.
The last time the state voted for a Republican presidential candidate was in 2000 for George W. Bush. And voters haven’t elected a Republican senator from New Hampshire since Kelly Ayotte, who lost her reelection bid in 2016 and now serves as the state’s governor.
Shaheen’s exit could usher in a new generation of Democratic leadershipwhich the outgoing senator said she’s angling for. She also encouraged Democrats to “promote specific policies” that would improve people’s daily lives, specifically in education and health care.
“It’s important for New Hampshire and the country to have a new generation of leadership,” she said.
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