Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) said Wednesday she will not seek reelection next year, handing Democrats another open seat to defend as they try to reclaim the Senate majority.
“Today, after careful consideration, I’m announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2026,” Shaheen said in a video posted on social media. “It’s just time.”
Shaheen is the third Senate Democrat in competitive territory to announce their retirement ahead of next year’s election. The others are Sens. Gary Peters (Michigan) and Tina Smith (Minnesota).
Republicans control 53 seats in the Senate, and New Hampshire is a state Democrats cannot afford to lose as they try to chip away at the GOP majority.
Shaheen has served in the Senate since 2009 and was the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire. She is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.