Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, is the Senate's latest Democrat, rather than seeking re-election in the middle of 2026.
Wednesday's announcement by the former governor and three-term senator in a major New England swing state will further complicate Democrats' efforts to regain Senate control from Republicans in next year's election.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, DN.H. speaks before President Joe Biden arrives on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, in Concord, New Hampshire (AP Photo/Steven Senne) to lower costs at NHTI Concord Community College. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
“I ran to public office to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire,” Shaheen said. “The purpose will never change. But today, after careful consideration, I announce that in 2026 I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection from the Senate.”
Shaheen, who turned 78 earlier this year, added, “It's just time.”
There has been intense speculation about whether Shaheen, who first won the Senate election in 2008 and became the first woman in history to hold one of the top two positions on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee this year, would seek another term.
Shaheen raised just $170,000 in the final funding quarter of 2024, sparking the buzz that the senator may not be preparing for another reelection campaign. However, sources on Shaheen's political trajectory pointed out that the senators did not highlight funding in the fourth quarter of last year, including the final month of the 2024 presidential election.
Fox News confirmed that Shaheen is scheduled to have a major fundraiser in Manchester, New Hampshire on March 20th. There is no word yet as to whether the event was cancelled or not.
National Republicans saw the opportunity to defy New Hampshire's Senate seats from blue to red, and the National Republican Senators Committee had already run an ad aimed at Shaheen for USAID funds that the Trump administration is doing.
Former Ambassador Trump's eyes return to the Senate
Sen. Scott Brown, a former Massachusetts senator who narrowly lost to New Hampshire's Shaheen in the 2014 election, is seriously considering his 2026 run with the possibility of a rematch with Shaheen.
After four years as New Zealand's US ambassador in President Donald Trump's first administration, Brown has been meeting Republicans in New Hampshire for several months and has met with GOP officials in the country's capital.
It's been 15 years since Republicans last won the Senate election in New Hampshire, and Democrats have won the last four elections.
Republicans regained control of the Chamber of Commerce by turning four Senate seats in the election last November. They currently manage the chamber and aim to expand their majority in 2026.
Besides New Hampshire, GOP is targeting Michigan Battlegrounds in Michigan. There, Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced in January that he would not seek re-election. Also on the 2026 radar is Georgia, another important battlefield state where Republicans view first-term Democrat Sen. John Ossoff as vulnerable.
Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith announced last month that she would not bid for another term in the middle of next year, giving hope that the GOP might be competitive in a blue trend.
But Republicans are also defending themselves in the 2026 cycle.
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Democrats plan to launch an attack for moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins to reelection.
