The National Republican Senatorial Committee is bullish about its chances of flipping a New Hampshire Senate seat in 2026.
In a memo obtained by Punchbowl News, the NRSC said it sees an opening following the retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
"Senator Shaheen's retirement has set the table for New Hampshire liberals, like Representatives Chris Pappas and Maggie Goodlander, to compete for the affections of the modern Democrat coalition: 'activists' destroying electric vehicles, men seeking to exert their advantage over women in athletic competitions, and the Karen class cheering them on from the couch with a glass of chilled chardonnay during MSNBC prime time," the memo read.
"In response, the NRSC conducted a survey ... Key insights from this survey, in addition to recent voter registration trends in New Hampshire, indicate a favorable political climate for
Republicans in New Hampshire ahead of the 2026 Senate election."
As of February, Republicans have a voter registration advantage of over 48,145 over Democrats, according to the memo, which states that Democrat voter registration is down 20% since 2020.
An NRSC survey taken last month found Republicans favor Democrats on a generic ballot by 1%.
"This reflects both enthusiasm for President [Donald] Trump's leadership and the broader dissatisfaction with the Democrat Party," the memo read.
The survey found 92% of registered Republicans said they will back the GOP candidate while only 87% of Democrats said the same.
Independent New Hampshire voters, particularly independent men, prioritize inflation and federal spending, according to the memo.
The memo stated that Trump and Senate Republicans are prioritizing improving government efficiency, cutting taxes, and reining "in the out-of-control Democrat spending that caused higher costs of living."
"With a registration advantage, edge on the generic ballot, stronger enthusiasm among our voters, and alignment with independents on core party policy issues, Republicans are well positioned to flip this open Senate seat in New Hampshire regardless of who either party nominates," the memo read.
The NRSC surveyed 600 likely 2026 New Hampshire voters between March 18-20. The margin of error for this survey was +/- 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval.
Pappas announced Thursday he is running for Shaheen's seat.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.