Politics & Government
As Scott Brown Hints At '26 Senate Race, NRSC Chief Puts NH On Pick Up List
Democrat Jeanne Shaheen is up for re-election in two years. She defeated Brown by three points when she ran for re-election in 2014.
On Thursday afternoon, WMUR posted a clip of an upcoming interview with former U.S. Ambassador Scott Brown hinting strongly that he’s ready to make another run for U.S. Senate.
Just hours later, the incoming National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) was on TV touting the Granite State as a top pick-up spot for the GOP in 2026.
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The state’s senior senator, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen is up for re-election in two years. She defeated Brown by three points when she ran for re-election in 2014.
Asked by WMUR’s Adam Sexton for his “current outlook” on running for Senate in 2026, Brown acknowledged “it’s no secret” he’s been thinking about it.
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“I haven’t been happy with what’s happening nationally with the border, the economy, fentanyl — a whole host of things. And looking at our federal delegation, they’re kind of in lockstep with those failed policies. They covered for Biden,” Brown said.
“Is there another run? Yes, I think so. And I’m obviously looking at it. I’m not going to announce anything, but I think it’s important for our delegation not to be obstructionists because there will be a backlash. Trump has a mandate.”
On Fox News Thursday night, Sen. Tim Scott said he’s optimistic that Republicans can grow their current 53-47 majority, and he named New Hampshire as one of the target states.
“I believe we have an opportunity to expand the majority. Georgia, New Hampshire, Michigan, three states where we can win today,” Scott said.
“We have to defend our incumbents and our seat, but then let’s add two, three, or maybe four seats. I’m an optimist It’s going to take a lot of work, but the good news is we have the right president leading the charge. This is (Donald Trump’s) Republican Party. We’re going to add to his majority.”
On paper, Republicans are at a disadvantage in 2026, forced to defend 22 of the (at least) 35 seats up for grabs (including filling vacancies in Ohio and Florida).
But only one Republican incumbent represents a state Vice President Kamala Harris carried — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) — while two Democrats are in states Trump carried (Georgia and Michigan).
Another sign New Hampshire is in the NRSC’s crosshairs is the decision to make Stephen DeMaura deputy executive director. DeMaura once served as executive director of the New Hampshire GOP.
Shaheen would not respond to questions from NHJournal about her plans for 2026 or a possible Scott Brown re-match. And she’s assiduously avoided giving a definitive answer about seeking another term in office.
Some Granite State politicos say her age may be a factor — she turns 78 in January — but many of her colleagues in Congress are in their 70s, 80s or even older. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 84, announced she plans to seek another term in 2026 — though she has since fallen and broken her help while traveling in Europe.
Whoever the Democratic nominee is in 2026 will have the advantage of running in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican U.S. Senate candidate since the Tea Party red wave of 2010. And if history is a guide, they will also benefit from running during a midterm in which the GOP holds the White House. Midterm elections tend to trend against the party in power.
Some Granite State GOP insiders are still optimistic, however. They note Trump’s surprisingly strong performance in November — coming within three points of Vice President Kamala Harris — and the state’s rightward trend in state-level races.
On WMUR, Brown appeared to have his message ready.
“(Voters) want a closed border. They don’t want the ‘woke’ policies where biological men are playing against girls in sports. They want to make sure we address the fentanyl crisis; they want to make sure crime is out of our cities and towns. They want to have a budget that’s balanced.”
This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.
