CONCORD, N.H. — Scott Brown, who previously served as a Republican U.S. Senator for Massachusetts, has declared his intention to run once again for the New Hampshire Senate seat, which will be vacated by Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen next year.
Brown, now 65, was born at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard before his family relocated to Massachusetts when he was young. His political career includes multiple terms in the Massachusetts state Legislature, and he gained national attention by winning a special election in 2010 for a Senate seat long held by Edward Kennedy. However, his tenure was short-lived; he was defeated by Democrat Elizabeth Warren in 2012.
Following his loss, Brown moved to New Hampshire and tried to unseat Shaheen in 2014, though his bid was unsuccessful. Shaheen, currently in her third term in the Senate, has stated she will not be running for reelection in 2026.
Brown’s political resume also includes serving as the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during President Donald Trump’s administration, as well as a brief tenure as dean of New England Law in Boston.
Brown announced his candidacy in a video with WMUR-TV, affirming his belief that New Hampshire has been led well by Republican governors such as Chris Sununu and Kelly Ayotte. “But in Washington, we haven’t been represented by the right people,” he emphasized in the video.
Presently, New Hampshire’s congressional delegation is composed entirely of Democrats. Chris Pappas, who has served four terms in Congress and is 44 years old, has already launched his Senate campaign.
In his announcement, Brown criticized Pappas, alleging that he “has stood with Joe Biden as he opened the border, drove up the cost of everything, and made life just simply unaffordable.” Pappas countered these claims, stating that Brown “stands with corporate special interests, supports efforts to strip away health care coverage from tens of thousands of Granite Staters, and backs President Trump’s reckless tariffs that New Hampshire small businesses are speaking out against every single day.”
Brown’s decision to enter the race followed Sununu’s choice not to run for the Senate seat. Sununu, a popular figure, opted not to seek a fifth two-year gubernatorial term last year.