The New Hampshire Democrat said that while it’s a ‘difficult decision,’ she believes Democrats need a new generation of political leaders.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) confirmed Wednesday that she will not run for reelection in 2026, harming Democrats’ chances to regain a majority in the upper chamber.
Shaheen announced the decision in a post released on social media platform X, writing: “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 retiring.”
She later wrote on the platform that in her final two years as a senator, she will “work every day” in order to “make a difference for the people of NH and this country.”
In an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday, the 78-year-old Shaheen confirmed that she will not seek a fourth term and made reference to President Donald Trump’s administration. A former New Hampshire governor, Shaheen also said that Democrats need a new generation of political leaders.
“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,” she told the outlet, adding that a “new generation of leadership” is needed.
Shaheen has been a political force in New Hampshire for decades and climbed through the ranks of Senate leadership to serve as the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
New Hampshire has narrowly favored Democrats in recent presidential elections, but the state has a long history of electing leaders from both parties. Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte was elected last fall, when Trump lost the state by less than 3 percentage points.
Shaheen’s decision places even more pressure on Democrats for the 2026 midterms, as a recent analysis from the Cook Political Report suggests that the party will have difficulty regaining the upper chamber. Republicans currently hold 53 seats compared with the Democrats’ 47, including two independents who caucus with Democrats.
In February, Cook noted that the seats up for grabs in 2026 “aren’t particularly friendly” to Democrats and that the “challenge for Democrats to net the four seats necessary to win back the majority looks herculean.” Two seats were rated as toss-ups, and both are currently being controlled by Democrats.
They are in Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) similarly announced earlier this year that he won’t be seeking reelection, and in Georgia for Sen. Jon Ossoff’s (D-Ga.) seat.
Ossoff won his 2021 run-off race by just over 1 percentage point. Nearly four years later, President Donald Trump was able to win Georgia over Democrat Kamala Harris by 2 points.
When announcing his decision not to seek reelection, Peters, 66, said in a video in February that it’s “time for me to write a few more paragraphs in my current chapter and then turn over the reins.”
After Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) confirmed she would not seek a fifth term in 2024 for Michigan’s other Senate seat, current Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) was able to secure it by a narrow margin in the last election.
For now, the party that controls the Senate majority also controls Trump’s most important political and judicial nominations as well as his legislative agenda.
Maine represents the Democrats’ best pickup opportunity in 2026. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the sole GOP senator remaining in New England, is the only Republican serving in a state Trump lost who’s up for reelection.
Shaheen became the first woman elected New Hampshire governor in 1996. She served for three terms and was later elected to the Senate in 2008.
The Epoch Times contacted Shaheen’s office for comment on Wednesday but did not receive a response by publication time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.