Political Earthquake in NH: Scott Brown Launches Senate Bid, Sets Stage for 2026 Showdown
Political Earthquake in NH: Scott Brown Launches Senate Bid, Sets Stage for 2026 Showdown
The 2026 New Hampshire U.S. Senate race officially ignited this Wednesday morning with former Massachusetts Senator Scott P. Brown announcing his candidacy. Brown, who previously served as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand under President Trump, is seeking the seat currently held by retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, immediately setting the stage for a high-stakes contest.
In a campaign launch video, Brown, 65, framed his run as a fight for “common sense” and a secure border, criticizing Congressman Chris Pappas, the presumed Democratic frontrunner. Brown warned that electing Pappas would lead to “more of the same” in Washington, aligning himself with former President Trump’s efforts to “right the ship” and cautioning against a return to “the Biden years.” Brown is no stranger to New Hampshire politics, having challenged Senator Shaheen for her seat in 2014.
Congressman Chris Pappas, 45, serving his fourth term, wasted no time in firing back. In a statement released Wednesday, Pappas accused Brown of siding with “corporate special interests,” supporting efforts to dismantle healthcare coverage for Granite Staters, and backing Trump’s tariffs. “While Scott Brown looks for yet another opportunity to do Wall Street’s bidding and blindly support President Trump and his agenda, I’ll always put New Hampshire first,” Pappas asserted, drawing a clear distinction between their priorities.
With the primary election still over a year away, the field could yet expand, but Brown and Pappas are quickly solidifying their positions as the leading contenders for their respective party nominations. The race for Senator Shaheen’s open seat is expected to be one of the nation’s most closely watched. Shaheen, 78, a trailblazer as the first woman nationwide elected to serve as both governor and senator, announced in March her decision not to seek re-election, citing a desire to explore other aspects of her life.
The Republican Party is keen to flip this seat, which Shaheen has held since 2009. While former Governor Chris Sununu was a highly anticipated potential GOP candidate, he opted in April to remain on the political sidelines. Similarly, first-term Democratic Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander chose to seek re-election in her district rather than challenge Pappas for the Democratic nomination, further streamlining the paths for the two declared candidates.
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