A New Political Dynasty in New Hampshire

It looks like a new political dynasty could be emerging in New Hampshire.

Stefany Shaheen, the daughter of retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen, managed to secure a victory over seasoned candidate Maura Sullivan in a tough primary this past Tuesday. This outcome was somewhat unexpected given that polling had shown Stefany trailing in what was considered a close race.

Both candidates were competing to take over the seat held by Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), who is running for the Senate seat that will soon be vacated by Stefany’s mother.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen has been a well-known figure in New Hampshire politics for many years, serving as governor from 1997 to 2003, and as a senator since 2009. Now, at 79 years old, she actively supported her daughter throughout the primary campaign for this open House seat in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.

Notably, around $740,000—roughly 39% of the total funds raised by Stefany’s campaign—came from donors who had previously supported her mother, as reported by Politico.

Stefany pointed to her background on the Portsmouth City Council and Police Commission to demonstrate her qualifications for Congress, stressing that her experience stood on its own.

In her campaign, she presented herself as the most progressive among her leading opponents and even disagreed publicly with her mother’s support of a measure aimed at preventing a government shutdown last year.

Sullivan’s team, however, took the opportunity to criticize Stefany, highlighting her “fancy last name” in ads. As the primary approached its conclusion, Stefany received endorsements from former Democratic candidate Christian Urrutia and former Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, which likely gave her campaign a crucial last-minute lift.

Meanwhile, former Rep. Dennis Kucinich backed Carleigh Beriont, another contender who, although lagging in polls, seemed to gain some traction toward the end of the race.

Sullivan, who previously served as vice chair for the New Hampshire state Democratic Party, focused her efforts on consolidating support from the party’s base, particularly in the Manchester region.

This New Hampshire primary serves as another chapter in the ongoing story of political dynasties this election season. This follows other notable events like Senator Darline Graham’s win in her primary last month, along with the losses faced by political heirs such as Jack Schlossberg and the son of Senator Angus King in their respective primaries.