Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire Not Running in 2026

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced Wednesday that she will not run for reelection in 2026. The New Hampshire Democrat, age 78, is completing her third term in office.

Today, after careful consideration, I'm announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2026.

There are urgent challenges ahead, both here at home and around the world. And while I'm not seeking re-election – believe me – I am not… pic.twitter.com/h0urg7ZZx6

— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) March 12, 2025

She becomes the third member of her party to announce their retirement, following Gary Peters of Michigan and Tina Smith of Minnesota. All three states are competitive, further complicating an already difficult 2026 map for the party.

The New York Times writes that "Her decision not to seek a fourth term will immediately set off a high-stakes race in a state whose voters are famously fickle. Last fall, New Hampshire voters supported former Vice President Kamala Harris for president and elected Democrats to Congress, but they also voted for a Republican governor and expanded Republican majorities in the state legislature."