Stefany Shaheen Steps Into 1st Congressional District Democrat Primary

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

Stefany Shaheen, daughter of retiring U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, launched her long-rumored campaign for Congress Wednesday morning.

The news was first reported by WMUR.

Shaheen’s two-minute campaign launch video focuses heavily on the story of her daughter’s lifelong struggle with Type 1 diabetes and Shaheen’s advocacy on her behalf. She co-founded Good Measures, a Boston-based company that provides chronic care management, and she wrote a best-selling book (which she plugs in her campaign video) about her daughter’s battle with the disease.

“When I see Donald Trump crushing medical research in our country, when I see Elon Musk with a chainsaw chasing out our best scientists and doctors, when I see Bobby Kennedy Jr allowing measles to run rampant because he believes in conspiracy theories instead of proven vaccines,” Shaheen says in her video.

“And when I see congressional Republicans slashing Medicaid, children’s health care, veterans health care, all to fund massive tax breaks for billionaires and corporations, well I’m going to fight and believe me, I know how there’s no one who fights harder than a mom for her kids, and that’s how I’ll fight for your family too.”

Another mom expected to fight for her kid is Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who chose not to run for re-election next year. Political insiders expect the Shaheen machine to generate massive funding for Stefany’s campaign.

Former Obama administration VA official Maura Sullivan, who finished second in the 2018 NH-01 Democratic primary behind Chris Pappas, is already campaigning for the nomination.

“I welcome everyone who wants to stand up to Donald Trump and help Democrats take back the House,” Sullivan said in response to the news. “I’ve spent my life serving—from the streets of Fallujah to the halls of the Pentagon to ensuring Granite State veterans get the help that they need.

“As we say in the Marines, ‘Marines run toward the fight,’ and that’s exactly what I’m doing—ready to earn every vote across the First District and win this race so we can lower costs and protect our freedoms here in the Granite State.”

While Shaheen comes from a political family, her record in politics is relatively limited. She served briefly on the Portsmouth City Council and was elected to serve on the city’s Police Commission. And she was appointed by Democratic Governor Lynch to serve on the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women.

Nevertheless, many Granite State Republicans believe she’s the strongest candidate in the Democratic primary field.

“Stefany Shaheen will be a formidable candidate if she decides to run. Her family’s legacy of public service, combined with her own likability and reputation for political moderation, creates a compelling electoral advantage,” said GOP consultant Patrick Hynes.

Longtime New Hampshire politico Tom Rath agreed.

“She would be formidable, and that’s putting it mildly.”

Developing….

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.