GOP Senator Sued By IRS Agrees To Pay Back $5,000,000 In Taxes
'I’d say just let it be'
Republicans presented with Senate pickup opportunity as Democrat announces retirement
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire announced Wednesday that she would not seek re-election in 2026, giving Republicans another opportunity to grow their Senate majority.
Shaheen has served in the Senate since 2009, flipping the previously red seat blue. Shaheen had also previously served as governor and in the state Senate.
'New Hampshire has a proud tradition of electing common-sense Republicans—and will do so again in 2026!'
"Today, after careful consideration, I'm announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek re-election to the Senate in 2026," Shaheen said in a statement Wednesday. "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."
Although both Senate seats have been held by Democrats for the last few elections, New Hampshire has elected Republican governors since 2016, and Republicans have held on to a majority in the state Senate. Given the strong Republican voting presence in the state, the GOP has the opportunity to flip another key Senate seat.
"Another one!" Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said in a statement Wednesday. "Shaheen's retirement is welcome news for Granite Staters eager for new leadership. New Hampshire has a proud tradition of electing common-sense Republicans—and will do so again in 2026!"
Republicans flipped four Democrat-held Senate seats in 2024, electing Republican Sens. Tim Sheehy of Montana, Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, Bernie Moreno of Ohio, and Jim Justice of West Virginia. This leaves Republicans with a comfortable 53-seat majority to work with.
There has also been some speculation about a potential senatorial run by Republican former Gov. Chris Sununu. Although Sununu has been a past critic of President Donald Trump, he has since warmed up to the party leader and even endorsed him in 2024.
“I have not ruled it out completely, but folks in Washington have asked me to think about it and to consider it, and that is just kind of where I am,” Sununu told the New Hampshire Journal on Tuesday.
“I like getting stuff done,” Sununu said. “I don’t think they could handle me down there. I’d be like a lion in a cage.”
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Climate Protestors Disrupt Chris Wright Hearing For Energy Secretary
Any honest examination of the Los Angeles wildfires indicts incompetent government leadership rather than climate change.Republicans Secure Senate Majority Heading Into 2025
Republicans are projected to win back control of the U.S. Senate following Tuesday’s 2024 general election. As of this article’s publication, the GOP has secured at least 51 seats to create a governing majority in the upper chamber. This will give Republicans a Senate majority for the first time since 2020. In addition to winning […]Republican Bernie Moreno Takes Down Democrat Incumbent Sherrod Brown In Crucial Ohio Senate Race
Republicans flipped another seat in the race for Senate after Ohio businessman Bernie Moreno defeated incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod BrownWest Virginia Senate seat flips red as Joe Machin retires
Republican Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia defeated Democratic challenger Glenn Elliott Tuesday in the race to replace retiring Democratic turned independent U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.
Although the seat was previously held by a Democrat, Republicans easily flipped the seat red, giving the GOP an edge to regain the Senate majority.
Manchin first won the seat as a Democrat in 2010 and has served in the Senate ever since. Manchin later switched his party affiliation from Democrat to independent in May of this year.
"I have never seen America through a partisan lens," Manchin said in a statement. "However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy.
"Today, our national politics are broken, and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground," Manchin continued. "To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America's sensible majority.
Although Justice's predecessor was previously a Democrat, West Virginia was projected to be an overwhelming win for Republicans leading up to the election.
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6 Senate seats Republicans can flip to take back the majority
Less than a week from Election Day, six crucial Senate seats remain within striking distance for Republicans.
Republicans are currently in the minority, holding 49 seats, while Democrats and Independents combined hold the remaining 51 seats. While Republicans would have to flip only two seats to win back the majority, there are several pickup opportunities for the GOP.
Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.
The two most likely seats Republicans are looking to secure are in Montana and West Virginia. West Virginia's Senate seat is an open race between Republican Gov. Jim Justice and Democratic candidate Glenn Elliott. The candidates are running to replace Independent Sen. Joe Manchin after he announced his retirement in November 2023.
Cook Political Report has rated the Senate race in West Virginia as "solid Republican," which is reflected in the massive polling advantage Justice boasts over Elliott. In addition to the Mountain State, Republicans are enjoying some rosy poll numbers farther west.
In Montana, Republican candidate Tim Sheehy has pulled Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, who has previously won his seat by narrow margins. Recent polls put the three-term Democratic Senator at a substantial polling deficit, and Cook Political Report rated the seat "lean Republican."
Although the race is closer than the one in West Virginia, the tide has turned in Sheehy's favor, and Tester is taking notice. Tester's campaign has repeatedly labeled him "bipartisan" and has even held off from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, making him the only Democratic Senator to do so. Tester's decision to distance himself from his party is reflective of Sheehy's momentum in the red state.
While winning Montana and West Virginia would be enough for Republicans to flip the Senate, there are four more seats rated "toss-ups" that the GOP could secure.
In Michigan, Republican candidate Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin are going head-to-head in the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Although Slotkin initially had a several point polling advantage, Rogers has narrowed her lead and even surpassed the Democrat in some polls.
Another key race Republicans have managed to tighten is in Ohio, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown is battling GOP candidate Bernie Moreno. Although Brown has won all three of his terms by a substantial margin, Moreno has chipped away and even pulled ahead of the incumbent's increasingly narrow polling advantage.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey is facing a similar challenge from Republican candidate Dave McCormick. Casey first won in 2006 by a significant margin and easily held onto his seat for two more terms. Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.
Further east in Wisconsin, Republican candidate Eric Hovde has gained ground against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Like other races along the Rust Belt, Baldwin's initial polling advantage has rapidly diminished as Election Day approaches. Although the race remains tight, Republicans remain optimistic.
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Larry Hogan, Jim Justice win Republican US Senate primaries
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump, easily won Maryland's Republican U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday while current West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice easily won the Republican U.S. Senate primary in his state.
Hogan has never voted for Trump. In 2016, he wrote in his father, Larry Hogan Sr. Then, in 2020, he wrote in the late President Ronald Reagan. And during this cycle, Hogan has said that he will not vote for Trump or President Joe Biden.
Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland is not seeking re-election. Hogan, who served as governor from early 2015 through early 2023, is aiming to fill that seat.
'Big Jim will be a Great UNITED STATES SENATOR, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement.'
Justice has served as West Virginia governor since early 2017. He was elected as a Democrat in 2016 but announced in 2017 that he was switching his registration to Republican.
The Democrat-turned-Republican governor defeated U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia and others in the Senate primary.
Trump had endorsed Justice last year, declaring in a post on Truth Social, "Big Jim will be a Great UNITED STATES SENATOR, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement."
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is not seeking re-election, so Justice will be aiming to win that seat.
While Trump is the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the primary more than two months ago, has been earning thousands of votes in Republican presidential primaries.
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