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Elections in New Hampshire |
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The 2026 United States Senate election in New Hampshire will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of New Hampshire. Incumbent three-term Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen declined to seek re-election to a fourth term. [1]
This will be the first open Senate election in New Hampshire since 2010, and the first for this seat since 1990. [a]
New Hampshire is considered to be a slightly to moderately blue state at the federal level, with Kamala Harris carrying the state by roughly 3 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. The state's congressional delegation has been entirely Democratic since 2017. However, Republicans control the governorship, both state legislative chambers, and a majority in the executive council. [2] [3]
Shaheen was first elected in 2008, defeating then-incumbent senator John Sununu in a rematch of 2002, and was re-elected in 2014 and 2020. [4] Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire since 2010.
Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2025 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
Chris Pappas (D) | $2,470,766 | $862,563 | $2,015,788 |
Source: Federal Election Commission [20] |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Scott Brown | Dan Innis | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saint Anselm College [32] | August 26–27, 2025 | 895 (RV) | ± 4.8% | 48% | 13% | 39% |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Inside Elections [34] | Lean D | August 12, 2025 |
The Cook Political Report [35] | Lean D | August 18, 2025 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball [36] | Lean D | August 12, 2025 |
Race To The WH [37] | Lean D | September 4, 2025 |
Chris Pappas vs. Dan Innis
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Chris Pappas (D) | Dan Innis (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saint Anselm College [38] | August 26–27, 2025 | <1,800 (RV) | ± 2.3% | 48% | 30% | 22% |
Chris Pappas vs. Scott Brown
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Chris Pappas (D) | Scott Brown (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saint Anselm College [38] | August 26–27, 2025 | <1,800 (RV) | ± 2.3% | 48% | 37% | 15% |
Chris Pappas vs. Chris Sununu
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Chris Pappas (D) | Chris Sununu (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quantus Insights (R) [39] [A] | March 17–19, 2025 | 650 (RV) | ± 3.8% | 44% | 53% | 3% |
Jeanne Shaheen vs. Chris Sununu
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Jeanne Shaheen (D) | Chris Sununu (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Praecones Analytica [40] [B] | February 26 – March 1, 2025 | 626 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 46% | 54% | – |
Jeanne Shaheen vs. Frank Edelblut
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Jeanne Shaheen (D) | Frank Edelblut (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Praecones Analytica [40] [B] | February 26 – March 1, 2025 | 626 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 59% | 41% | – |
Jeanne Shaheen vs. Scott Brown
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [b] | Margin of error | Jeanne Shaheen (D) | Scott Brown (R) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Praecones Analytica [40] [B] | February 26 – March 1, 2025 | 626 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 55% | 45% | – |
Partisan clients
Former Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), who retired from Congress this year, told Axios she 'will take a serious look if Pappas does not run.'
[Adam Sexton]: Are you interested in running for U.S. Senate at all in 2026? [Andru Volinsky]: My focus is the book.
Another businessman, Jack Franks of Avanru Development Group, told NHJournal Tuesday night he's still considering entering the race as well.
Attorney Philip Taub (R) is considering a run to replace retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D). Taub told Hotline in a statement that he sees the Senate as 'another opportunity to serve' the Granite State
Gov. Kelly Ayotte, though, unequivocally said she wasn't interested in returning to the Senate this cycle.
2024 nominee Lily Tang Williams told NHJournal she is 'open minded' to the possibilities of running for either the House or Senate.