Senate Democrats Take Another Hit on the Chin

Jeanne Shaheen, a three-term senator from New Hampshire, will not run for reelection in 2026, reports the New York Times. "It was a difficult decision, made more difficult by the current environment in the country—by President Trump and what he's doing right now. ... It's just time," said Shaheen in a video released Wednesday morning. The 78-year-old is a longtime political stalwart in New Hampshire, having served as both the state's first female governor, the nation's first woman to hold both the governor's mansion and a Senate seat, and currently the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Shaheen's retirement sets up a fight for a Senate seat in a state in which the Times calls voters "notoriously fickle," having voted nationally for Democrats and state-wide for Republicans in November. Politico notes that Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who has "long been considered a likely contender for an open Senate seat," is contemplating a run, while former Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster had this to say: "If Pappas doesn't run, I would take a serious look at the race."

On the Republican side, there are a couple of big names being tossed around: former Gov. Chris Sununu, who hasn't ruled out a run, and former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who now lives in New Hampshire. Shaheen's decision follows that of two other Senate Democrats: Gary Peters of Michigan and Tina Smith of Minnesota. (More Jeanne Shaheen stories.)