2026 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

2026 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

November 3, 2026
 
Party Democratic Republican

Incumbent U.S. senator

Jeanne Shaheen
Democratic



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. Primary elections will be held on September 8, 2026. Incumbent three-term Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen declined to seek 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]

Background

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.[5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Endorsements

Karishma Manzur
State legislators
Organizations

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025
Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand
Chris Pappas (D) $6,552,817 $3,722,790 $3,237,611
Jared Sullivan (D) $93,914 $28,448 $65,565
Karishma Manzur (D) $70,157 $56,475 $13,681
Source: Federal Election Commission[39]

Polling

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation
Dates
administered
Dates
updated
Karishma
Manzur
Chris
Pappas
Jared
Sullivan
Undecided[b] Margin
270toWin[40] November 13–19, 2025 January 1, 2026 8.0% 60.5% 3.5% 29.0% Pappas +52.5%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Karishma
Manzur
Chris
Pappas
Jared
Sullivan
Other Undecided
University of New Hampshire[41] January 15–19, 2026 893 (LV) ± 3.3% 11% 65% 2% 22%
Saint Anselm College[42] November 18–19, 2025 1,015 (RV) ± 3.1% 8% 64% 2% 26%
University of New Hampshire[43] November 13–17, 2025 521 (LV) ± 4.3% 8% 57% 5% 30%
University of New Hampshire[44] September 17–23, 2025 508 (LV) ± 4.3% 14% 65% 1% 20%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Declined

Endorsements

Scott Brown
U.S. senators
Organizations
John E. Sununu
Executive branch officials
U.S. senators
Statewide officials
State legislators
Party officials
Organizations

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025
Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand
Scott Brown (R) $1,342,972 $435,137 $907,834
John Sununu (R) $1,356,653 $233,736 $1,122,917
Source: Federal Election Commission[39]

Polling

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation
Dates
administered
Dates
updated
Scott
Brown
John
Sununu
Other/Undecided
[b]
Margin
RealClearPolitics[62] September 10, 2025 – January 19, 2026 January 19, 2026 26.0% 42.3% 31.7% Sununu +16.3%
270toWin[40] November 13–19, 2025 January 1, 2026 28.5% 39.5% 32.0% Sununu +11.0%
Average 27.3% 40.9% 31.8% Sununu +13.6%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Scott
Brown
Dan
Innis
John
Sununu
Other Undecided
University of New Hampshire[41] January 15–19, 2026 967 (LV) ± 3.2% 25% 48% 1%[d] 26%
Guidant Polling and Strategy (R)[63][A] December 9–11, 2025 353 (LV) 30% 49% 21%
Saint Anselm College[42] November 18–19, 2025 1,000 (RV) ± 3.1% 30% 39% 31%
University of New Hampshire[43] November 13–17, 2025 593 (LV) ± 4.0% 27% 40% 1% 31%
September 25, 2025 Innis withdraws from the race
University of New Hampshire[44] September 17–23, 2025 555 (LV) ± 4.2% 19% 7% 42% 4%[e] 28%
co/efficient (R)[64] September 10–12, 2025 346 (LV) 23% 8% 40% 5%[f] 24%
Saint Anselm College[65] August 26–27, 2025 791 (RV) ± 3.5% 48% 13% 39%

Independents

Candidates

Filed paperwork

Potential

  • Aaron Day, former chairman of the Free State Project and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016[67]

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
Inside Elections[68] Tilt D October 23, 2025
The Cook Political Report[69] Lean D October 14, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball[70] Lean D August 12, 2025
Race To The WH[71] Lean D February 14, 2026

Polling

Chris Pappas vs. Scott Brown

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation
Dates
administered
Dates
updated
Chris
Pappas
Scott
Brown
Other/Undecided
[b]
Margin
RealClearPolitics[72] October 9, 2025 – January 19, 2026 January 28, 2026 48.3% 39.0% 12.7% Pappas +9.3%
Race to the WH[73] September 3, 2025 – January 21, 2026 February 6, 2026 48.1% 36.9% 15.0% Pappas +11.2%
Average 48.2% 38.0% 13.8% Pappas +10.2%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Chris
Pappas (D)
Scott
Brown (R)
Other Undecided
University of New Hampshire[41] January 15–19, 2026 2,053 (LV) ± 2.1% 52% 42% 1%[g] 5%
NHJournal/Praecones Analytica[74] December 26–28, 2025 603 (RV) ± 4.0% 46% 28% 26%
Guidant Polling and Strategy (R)[63][A] December 9–11, 2025 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 49% 38% 13%
Saint Anselm College[42] November 18–19, 2025 2,212 (RV) 44% 36% 20%
co/efficient (R)[75] October 9–13, 2025 1,034 (LV) ± 3.1% 49% 39% 13%
University of New Hampshire[44] September 17–23, 2025 1,235 (LV) ± 2.8% 52% 37% 2%[h] 8%
co/efficient (R)[64] September 10–12, 2025 904 (LV) ± 3.3% 50% 40% 10%
Saint Anselm College[76] August 26–27, 2025 1,776 (RV) ± 2.3% 48% 37% 15%

Chris Pappas vs. John E. Sununu

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation
Dates
administered
Dates
updated
Chris
Pappas
John
Sununu
Other/Undecided
[b]
Margin
RealClearPolitics[77] October 9, 2025 – January 19, 2026 January 28, 2026 46.3% 42.7% 11.0% Pappas +3.6%
Race to the WH[73] September 9, 2025 – January 21, 2026 February 6, 2026 45.9% 41.5% 12.6% Pappas +4.4%
Average 46.1% 42.1% 11.8% Pappas +4.0%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Chris
Pappas (D)
John E.
Sununu (R)
Other Undecided
yes. every kid.[78] January 28–29, 2026 563 (LV) ± 4.1% 45% 41% 14%
University of New Hampshire[41] January 15–19, 2026 2,053 (LV) ± 2.1% 50% 45% 1%[g] 5%
NHJournal/Praecones Analytica[74] December 26–28, 2025 603 (RV) ± 4.0% 42% 36% 22%
Guidant Polling and Strategy (R)[63][A] December 9–11, 2025 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 47% 44% 9%
Saint Anselm College[42] November 18–19, 2025 2,212 (RV) 44% 41% 16%
co/efficient (R)[75] October 9–13, 2025 1,034 (LV) ± 3.1% 45% 42% 12%
University of New Hampshire[44] September 17–23, 2025 1,235 (LV) ± 2.8% 49% 43% 1%[g] 7%
co/efficient (R)[64] September 10–12, 2025 904 (LV) ± 3.3% 46% 43% 11%
1892 Polling (R)[79][A] September 2–4, 2025 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 45% 43% 12%
Hypothetical polling

Chris Pappas vs. Dan Innis

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Chris
Pappas (D)
Dan
Innis (R)
Undecided
co/efficient (R)[64] September 10–12, 2025 904 (LV) ± 3.3% 49% 37% 14%
Saint Anselm College[76] August 26–27, 2025 1,776 (RV) ± 2.3% 48% 30% 22%

Chris Pappas vs. Chris Sununu

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Chris
Pappas (D)
Chris
Sununu (R)
Undecided
Quantus Insights (R)[80][B] March 17–19, 2025 650 (RV) ± 3.8% 44% 53% 3%

Jeanne Shaheen vs. Chris Sununu

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Jeanne
Shaheen (D)
Chris
Sununu (R)
Undecided
Praecones Analytica[81][C] February 26 – March 1, 2025 626 (RV) ± 4.5% 46% 54%

Jeanne Shaheen vs. Frank Edelblut

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Jeanne
Shaheen (D)
Frank
Edelblut (R)
Undecided
Praecones Analytica[81][C] February 26 – March 1, 2025 626 (RV) ± 4.5% 59% 41%

Jeanne Shaheen vs. Scott Brown

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Jeanne
Shaheen (D)
Scott
Brown (R)
Undecided
Praecones Analytica[81][C] February 26 – March 1, 2025 626 (RV) ± 4.5% 55% 45%

Generic Democrat vs. generic Republican

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[c]
Margin
of error
Generic
Democrat
Generic
Republican
Undecided
co/efficient (R)[75] October 9–13, 2025 1,034 (LV) ± 3.1% 47% 44% 9%

Notes

  1. ^ Bob Smith, the incumbent senator at the time, ran for re-election to a third term in 2002, but lost in the Republican primary to John Sununu.
  2. ^ a b c d Calculated by taking the difference of 100% and all other candidates combined.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  4. ^ "Write in someone else" with 1%
  5. ^ "Someone else" with 4%
  6. ^ "Someone else" with 5%
  7. ^ a b c "Another candidate" with 1%
  8. ^ "Another candidate" with 2%

Partisan clients

  1. ^ a b c d Poll sponsored by One Nation, a group aligned with the Senate Leadership Fund
  2. ^ a b c Poll conducted for the NHJournal

References

  1. ^ a b Belman, Felice (March 12, 2025). "Senator Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Democrat, Won't Run Again in 2026". The New York Times. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  2. ^ "New Hampshire keeps all-Democratic delegation with Pappas, Goodlander wins in US House races". AP News. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  3. ^ "NH Republicans claim big State House wins and strengthen majorities in House and Senate". New Hampshire Public Radio. November 6, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  4. ^ Castronuovo, Celine (November 4, 2020). "Shaheen wins reelection in New Hampshire". The Hill. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  5. ^ https://rollcall.com/2025/10/22/new-hampshire-john-sununu-race-rating/
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  7. ^ Sexton, Adam (April 3, 2025). "News 9 Exclusive: Chris Pappas announces he will run for U.S. Senate". WMUR-TV. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  8. ^ Blechl, Robert (September 26, 2025). "Bethlehem State Rep. Announces U.S. Senate Run". The Caledonian-Record. Retrieved September 27, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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  10. ^ a b Solender, Andrew (March 12, 2025). "Scoop: Rep. Chris Pappas eyes Jeanne Shaheen's newly open N.H. Senate seat". Axios. Retrieved March 12, 2025. 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.'
  11. ^ a b Sexton, Adam (April 24, 2025). "Shaheen endorses Pappas to replace her in Senate". WMUR-TV. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  12. ^ Sexton, Adam (March 30, 2025). Andru Volinsky debuts new book on fight for education funding. WMUR-TV. Retrieved March 30, 2025. [Adam Sexton]: Are you interested in running for U.S. Senate at all in 2026? [Andru Volinsky]: My focus is the book.
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Official campaign websites