The nonpartisan cook's political report evaluated Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (d) of New Hampshire Sen., not seeking reelection in 2026.
The seats may lean towards Democrats, but Republicans have expressed optimism and they can turn their seats upside down. Last month, National Republican Senate Committee Chairman Tim Scott (Rs.C.), along with Georgia, Michigan, Maine, North Carolina and Ohio, appointed New Hampshire to one of the committee's six battlefield states.
Shaheen's departure follows last month of announcements from Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith (d) and the announcement from Michigan Sen. Gary Peters (D) that she will not be asking for a re-election or retirement announcement in January.
Scott celebrated the news of his democratic retirement in a statement Thursday.
“One more! Shaheen's retirement is welcome news for new leadership-heavy Granite Staters,” says Scott. “New Hampshire has a proud tradition of electing common sense Republicans and will do so again in 2026!”
Republicans are hoping to recruit former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown (R) to run for their seat. Brown was found at the Capitol on a visit with Senator Randpole (R-Ky.) on Tuesday afternoon.
The former Massachusetts senator who failed Shaheen for the senator in 2014 told Hill he was thinking of running again.
Brown said in a post on Social Platform X that it was time to place someone on a state delegation supporting President Trump.
“appreciate [Shaheen]I vote for me as ambassador to NZ and Samoa in NH for service to our state and for her support. It's time for New Hampshire to fight for our priorities and give birth to someone in the delegation who stands, not Trump's agenda,” Brown said in the Post.
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) has also been a target for Republican recruiting efforts and has said he has no interest in running for the Senate. However, he told the Washington Times this week he “was completely excluded it.”
