2020 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

The 2020 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Hampshire, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen won reelection to a third term after comfortably defeating Republican nominee Bryant Messner by 15.6 points and sweeping every single county in the state. This marked the first Senate election since 1972 in which the Democrat carried Belknap County.

2020 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →

Nominee Jeanne Shaheen Bryant "Corky" Messner Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 450,778 326,229 Percentage 56.63% 40.99%

County results Municipality results Congressional district results Precinct results Shaheen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Messner:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      No votes

U.S. senator before election Jeanne Shaheen Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen Democratic

Shaheen's final margin outperformed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the concurrent presidential election by around 8 percentage points, while carrying two counties that voted for Donald Trump.

The primary election was held on September 8, 2020.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jeanne Shaheen, incumbent U.S. senator^[1]

Eliminated in primary

• Tom Alciere, former Republican state representative^[2]
• Paul J. Krautmann, former dentist^[2]

Endorsements

Jeanne Shaheen

Federal officials

• Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. senator (NY); former 2020 presidential candidate^[3]
• Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator (MN); former 2020 presidential candidate^[4]
• Elizabeth Warren, U.S. senator (MA); former 2020 presidential candidate^[5]

Local officials

• Jim Bouley, Concord mayor^[6]
• Joyce Craig, Manchester mayor^[6]
• Jim Donchess, Nashua mayor^[6]
• Andrew Hosmer, Laconia mayor^[6]

Organizations

• Brady Campaign^[7]
• Council for a Livable World^[8]
• EMILY's List^[9]
• End Citizens United^[10]
• Feminist Majority PAC^[11]
• Humane Society of the United States Legislative Fund^[12]
• J Street PAC^[13]
• Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs^[14]
• League of Conservation Voters^[15]
• National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare^[16]
• National Organization for Women^[17]
• Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund^[18]
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund^[19]
• Population Connection^[20]
• Sierra Club^[21]
• Women's Political Committee^[22]

Results

Results by county:

  Shaheen—≥90%

Democratic primary results^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jeanne Shaheen (incumbent)	142,012	93.88%
	Democratic	Paul Krautman	5,914	3.91%
	Democratic	Tom Alciere	2,992	1.98%
	Republican	Don Bolduc (write-in)	199	0.13%
	Republican	Corky Messner (write-in)	137	0.09%
	Republican	Andy Martin (write-in)	11	0.0%
	Republican	Gerard Beloin (write-in)	3	0.0%
Total votes			151,268	100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Bryant Messner, corporate attorney and former U.S. Army soldier^[24][25]

Eliminated in primary

• Gerard Beloin, ski instructor^[2]
• Don Bolduc, former U.S. Army Special Forces brigadier general^[26]
• Andy Martin, journalist and perennial candidate^[27]

Withdrew

• Bill O'Brien, former speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives^[28]

Declined

• Kelly Ayotte, former U.S. senator and former attorney general of New Hampshire^[29][30]
• Al Baldasaro, state representative^[31] (endorsed Bill O'Brien)^[32]
• Scott Brown, U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, former U.S. senator from Massachusetts, 2014 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire^[31]
• Eddie Edwards, former police chief of South Hampton, former chief of the New Hampshire State Division of Liquor Enforcement, and nominee for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district in 2018^[33] (accepted executive state appointment)^[34]
• Corey Lewandowski, President Donald Trump's former campaign manager^[35]
• Jay Lucas, businessman^[36]
• Chris Sununu, incumbent governor of New Hampshire (running for re-election)^[37]

Endorsements

Don Bolduc

Federal officials

• Tom Cotton, U.S. senator from Arkansas and former U.S. Representative (AR-04) (2013–2015)^[38]
• Bob Smith, former U.S. senator from New Hampshire (1990–2003) and U.S. Representative (NH-01) (1985–1990)^[39]
• Mike Waltz, U.S. representative (FL-06)^[40]
• Thomas E. White, former U.S. Secretary of the Army (2001–2004)^[40]

State officials

• Kevin Avard, former state senator (2014–2018) and state representative (2010–2012)^[40]
• Jim Coburn, former state representative (2004–2006) and Republican nominee in the 2006 New Hampshire gubernatorial election^[40]
• Susan DeLemus, former state representative (2010–2012, 2014–2016)^[40]
• Shaun Doherty, former state representative (2008–2012)^[40]
• William Fowler, state representative^[40]
• Bob Giuda, state senator and former state representative (2001–2007) and state House deputy majority leader (2003–2004)^[40]
• Gary Hopper, state representative^[40]
• Joseph Kenney, former executive councilor (2014–2019) and state senator (2003–2009)^[41]
• Gary Lambert, former state senator (2010–2012)^[40]
• Tim Merlino, state representative^[40]
• Michael Moffett, former state representative (2016–2018)^[40]
• Reed Panasiti, state representative^[40]
• Terry Roy, state representative^[40]
• Doug Scamman, former state representative (2004–2010) and state House speaker^[40]
• David Testerman, state representative^[40]
• Joshua Whitehouse, former state representative (2014–2016)^[40]
• Raymond Wieczorek, former executive councilor (2002–2012) and mayor of Manchester (1990–2000)^[40]

Organizations

• SEAL PAC^[40]
• Senate Conservatives Fund^[42]

Individuals

• Jeb Bush, 2016 Republican presidential candidate and former governor of Florida (1999–2007)^[43]
• Jack Kimball, former New Hampshire Republican Party chair (2011)^{[citation needed]}

Corky Messner

Federal officials

• Rand Paul, U.S. senator from Kentucky^[44]
• Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States^[45]

State officials

• Dennis Acton, state representative^[46]
• Joe Alexander, state representative^[47]
• Alan Bershtein, state representative^[46]
• Regina Birdsell, state senator and former state representative (2010–2014)^{[citation needed]}
• Tom Dolan, state representative^[47]
• Fred Doucette, state representative^[48]
• Jess Edwards, state representative^[49]
• Aboul Khan, state representative^[46]
• Tony Lekas, state representative^[47]
• Norman Major, state representative^[46]
• Charles McMahon, state representative^[47]
• Chuck Morse, state senator, state Senate minority leader, and former state Senate president (2013–2018) and acting Governor (2017)^[50]
• Bill O'Brien, Republican candidate in the 2020 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire and former state representative (2004–2006, 2008–2016) and state House speaker (2010–2012)^[51]
• Mark Pearson, state representative^[47]
• Stephen Pearson, state representative^[47]
• Kim Rice, state representative^[52]
• Steve Schmidt, former state representative (2010–2018)^[52]
• Thomas Walsh, state representative^[52]
• Kenneth Weyler, state representative^[52]
• Michael Yakubovich, state representative^[46]

Organizations

• National Association for Gun Rights^[53]
• Tea Party Express^[54]

Individuals

• John Campbell, former U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff (2013–2014)^[49]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Don Bolduc	Corey Lewandowski	Corky Messner	Bill O'Brien	Other	Undecided
University of New Hampshire[55]	August 28 – September 1, 2020	703 (LV)	±  3.7%	31%	–	52%	–	0%[b]	17%
Saint Anselm College[56]	August 15–17, 2020	475 (RV)	±  4.5%	29%	–	31%	–	4%[c]	37%
The Tarrance Group[57][A]	July 12–14, 2020	401 (LV)	±  5%	27%	–	39%	–	–	–
Remington Research Group[58][B]	June 21–23, 2020	800 (LV)	–	8%	–	17%	–	–	73%
	April 2, 2020	O'Brien withdraws from the race
	December 31, 2019	Lewandowski announces he will not run
Emerson College[59]	September 6–9, 2019	379 (RV)	± 5.0%	9%	29%	4%	7%	–	56%
Vote Adjustments/WMUR[60]	September 5–6, 2019	402 (LV)	± 4.2%	9%	29%	2%	6%	–	49%
	September 4, 2019	Messner announces his candidacy
Remington Research (R)[61][B]	August 12–14, 2019	200 (RV)	–	21%	21%	2%	8%	–	47%
Fabrizio (R)[62][C]	August 11–12, 2019	400 (LV)	–	11%	30%	–	10%	–	–

Results

Results by county:

  Messner—50–60%

  Messner—40–50%

  Bolduc—40–50%

  Bolduc—50–60%

Republican primary results^[63]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Corky Messner	69,801	50.26%
	Republican	Don Bolduc	58,749	42.30%
	Republican	Andy Martin	6,443	4.64%
	Republican	Gerard Beloin	3,098	2.23%
	Democratic	Jeanne Shaheen (write-in)	771	0.56%
	Democratic	Tom Alciere (write-in)	7	0.0%
	Democratic	Paul Krautmann (write-in)	7	0.0%
Total votes			138,876	100.0%

Other candidates

Justin O'Donnell, the Libertarian nominee

Libertarian Party

Nominee

• Justin O'Donnell, Libertarian nominee for New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district in 2018,^[2] qualified for general election ballot by petition on September 2, 2020^[64]

Bull Moose Party

Did not qualify

• Thomas Sharpe V, firefighter and U.S. Navy veteran^[2][64]

General election

Debate

2020 New Hampshire United States Senate election debate

No.	Date	Host	Moderator	Link	Democratic	Republican	Libertarian
Key:  P  Participant   A  Absent   N  Not invited   I  Invited  W  Withdrawn
					Jeanne Shaheen	Bryant Messner	Justin O'Donnell
1	Oct. 20, 2020	WMUR-TV	Laura Knoy Annie Ropeik	[65]	P	P	N

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[66]	Safe D	October 29, 2020
Inside Elections[67]	Safe D	October 28, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[68]	Likely D	November 2, 2020
Daily Kos[69]	Safe D	October 30, 2020
Politico[70]	Likely D	November 2, 2020
RCP[71]	Lean D	October 23, 2020
DDHQ[72]	Safe D	November 3, 2020
538[73]	Safe D	November 2, 2020
Economist[74]	Safe D	November 2, 2020

Additional general election endorsements

Jeanne Shaheen (D)

Unions

• International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers^[75]
• National Education Association^[76]
• State Employees Association of New Hampshire^[77]

Organizations

• Everytown for Gun Safety^[78]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jeanne Shaheen (D)	Corky Messner (R)	Other / Undecided
American Research Group[79]	October 26–28, 2020	600 (LV)	± 4%	57%	40%	3%[d]
University of New Hampshire[80]	October 24–28, 2020	864 (LV)	± 3.3%	54%	43%	2%[e]
Saint Anselm College[81]	October 23–26, 2020	1,018 (LV)	± 3.1%	54%	39%	8%[f]
YouGov/UMass Lowell[82]	October 16–26, 2020	757 (LV)	± 4.5%	57%	38%	5%[g]
University of New Hampshire[83]	October 9–12, 2020	899 (LV)	± 3.3%	55%	40%	6%[h]
Suffolk University[84]	October 8–12, 2020	500 (LV)	± 4.4%	51%	36%	13%[i]
Saint Anselm College[85]	October 1–4, 2020	1,147 (LV)	± 2.9%	53%	38%	8%[j]
Emerson College[86]	September 30 – October 1, 2020	700 (LV)	± 3.6%	55%	40%	5%[k]
American Research Group[79]	September 25–28, 2020	600 (LV)	± 4%	56%	40%	4%[l]
University of New Hampshire[87]	September 24–28, 2020	972 (LV)	± 3.1%	54%	41%	5%[m]
YouGov/UMass Lowell[88]	September 17–25, 2020	657 (LV)	±  4.6%	56%	37%	7%[n]
University of New Hampshire[55]	August 28 – September 1, 2020	1,889 (LV)	±  2.3%	54%	36%	9%[o]
University of New Hampshire[89]	July 16–28, 2020	1,893 (LV)	± 2.2%	54%	35%	12%[p]
University of New Hampshire[89]	June 18–22, 2020	932 (LV)	± 2.8%	50%	37%	13%[q]
University of New Hampshire[89]	May 14–18, 2020	788 (LV)	± 3.2%	52%	34%	14%[r]
University of New Hampshire[90]	February 19–25, 2020	576 (RV)	± 4.1%	52%	28%	21%[s]

Hypothetical polling

with Don Bolduc

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jeanne Shaheen (D)	Don Bolduc (R)	Other / Undecided
University of New Hampshire[55]	August 28 – September 1, 2020	1,889 (LV)	±  2.3%	53%	37%	10%[t]
University of New Hampshire[89]	July 16–28, 2020	1,893 (LV)	± 2.2%	54%	35%	10%[u]
University of New Hampshire[89]	June 18–22, 2020	932 (LV)	± 2.8%	51%	39%	11%[v]
University of New Hampshire[89]	May 14–18, 2020	788 (LV)	± 3.2%	50%	39%	11%[u]
University of New Hampshire[90]	February 19–25, 2020	576 (RV)	± 4.1%	49%	30%	22%[w]
Remington Research (R)[61][B]	August 12–14, 2019	427 (RV)	± 4.7%	47%	42%	11%
Gravis Marketing[91]	August 2–6, 2019	505 (RV)	± 4.4%	51%	38%	11%[x]

with Corey Lewandowski

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jeanne Shaheen (D)	Corey Lewandowski (R)	Other / Undecided
American Research Group[79]	December 12–16, 2019	539 (RV)	± 4.2%	58%	35%	7%
Emerson College[59]	November 22–26, 2019	1,184 (RV)	± 2.8%	52%	40%	8%
American Research Group[79]	September 20–24, 2019	560 (RV)	± 4.1%	56%	34%	10%
Emerson College[59]	September 6–9, 2019	1,041 (RV)	± 3.0%	49%	39%	12%
Remington Research (R)[61][B]	August 12–14, 2019	427 (RV)	± 4.7%	50%	37%	–

with Bill O'Brien

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jeanne Shaheen (D)	Bill O'Brien (R)	Other	Undecided
University of New Hampshire[90]	February 19–25, 2020	576 (RV)	± 4.1%	51%	30%	5%	14%
Gravis Marketing[91]	August 2–6, 2019	505 (RV)	± 4.4%	52%	39%	–	9%

with Chris Sununu

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jeanne Shaheen (D)	Chris Sununu (R)	Undecided
Emerson College[92]	February 21–22, 2019	910 (RV)	± 3.2%	44%	44%	12%
YouGov/UMass Amherst[93]	February 7–15, 2019	600 (RV)	± 4.8%	45%	42%	10%

with Kelly Ayotte

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jeanne Shaheen (D)	Kelly Ayotte (R)	Undecided
YouGov/UMass Amherst[93]	February 7–15, 2019	600 (RV)	± 4.8%	41%	36%	20%

with Generic Democrat and Generic Republican

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Generic Democrat	Generic Republican	Other	Undecided
Saint Anselm College[56]	August 15–17, 2020	1,042 (RV)	± 3%	49%	44%	2%	4%
Saint Anselm College[94]	Jun 13–16, 2020	1,072 (RV)	± 3%	46%	43%	2%	8%
Saint Anselm College[95]	Apr 23–27, 2020	820 (RV)	± 3.4%	49%	42%	3%	6%

Results

Margin swing by county

Legend

•   Republican — >15%
•   Republican — +0−2.5%
•   Democratic — +2.5−5%
•   Democratic — +5−7.5%
•   Democratic — +12.5–15%
•   Democratic — >15%

United States Senate election in New Hampshire, 2020^[96]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jeanne Shaheen (incumbent)	450,778	56.63%	+5.17%
	Republican	Bryant "Corky" Messner	326,229	40.99%	−7.22%
	Libertarian	Justin O'Donnell	18,421	2.32%	N/A
	Write-in		486	0.06%	–0.27%
Total votes			795,914	100.0%
	Democratic hold

By county

By county

County Jeanne Shaheen Democratic Bryant Messner Republican Justin O'Donnell Libertarian Write-in Margin Total votes # % # % # % # % # % Belknap 18,704 49.15 18,536 48.71 765 2.01 46 0.12 168 0.44 38,051 Carroll 17,670 53.61 14,694 44.58 578 1.75 16 0.05 2,976 9.03 32,958 Cheshire 26,750 63.03 15,690 36.97 1,122 2.64 33 0.08 11,060 26.06 42,440 Coös 8,752 53.57 7,222 44.21 362 2.22 0 0.00 1,530 9.37 16,336 Grafton 34,043 63.77 18,092 33.89 1,212 2.27 39 0.07 15,951 29.88 53,386 Hillsborough 129,100 56.50 93,607 40.97 5,630 2.46 137 0.06 35,493 15.53 228,474 Merrimack 52,343 58.74 34,687 38.92 2,031 2.28 52 0.06 17,656 19.81 89,113 Rockingham 105,818 53.72 86,937 44.14 4,112 2.09 94 0.05 18,881 9.59 196,961 Strafford 44,415 60.94 26,465 36.31 1,947 2.67 61 0.08 17,950 24.63 72,888 Sullivan 13,183 54.58 10,299 42.64 662 2.75 8 0.03 2,884 11.94 24,152 Totals 450,778 56.64 326,229 40.99 18,421 2.31 486 0.06 124,549 15.65 795,914 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Belknap (largest municipality: Laconia) Hillsborough (largest municipality: Manchester) Rockingham (largest municipality: Derry)

By congressional district

Shaheen won both congressional districts.^[97]

District	Shaheen	Messner	Representative
1st	56%	42%	Chris Pappas
2nd	57%	40%	Annie Kuster

See also

• 2020 New Hampshire elections

Notes

Partisan clients

1. Poll conducted for Corky Messner.
2. Poll sponsored by Don Bolduc
3. Poll sponsored by Lewandowski

Voter samples

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. "Some other candidate" with 0%
3. "Someone else" with 4%
4. O'Donnell (L) with 0%; Undecided with 3%
5. O'Donnell (L) with 2%; "Other" and Undecided with 0%
6. O'Donnell (L) with 2%; "Someone else" with 1%; Undecided with 5%
7. "Another candidate" with 1%; Undecided with 4%
8. O'Donnell (L) with 2%; "Another Candidate" with 0%; Undecided with 4%
9. O'Donnell (L) and "Refused" with 2%; "Other" with 0%; Undecided with 8%
10. O'Donnell (L) with 4%; "Someone else" with 2%; Undecided with 5%
11. "Someone else" with 2%; Undecided with 3%
12. O'Donnell (L) with 0%; Undecided with 4%
13. O'Donnell (L) with 3%; "Another Candidate" with 0%; Undecided with 2%
14. "Another candidate" with 1%; Undecided with 6%
15. O'Donnell (L) with 3%; Undecided with 6%
16. "Another candidate" with 1%; Undecided with 11%
17. "Another candidate" with 0%; Undecided with 13%
18. "Another candidate" with 1%; Undecided with 13%
19. "Another candidate" with 4%; Undecided with 17%
20. O'Donnell (L) with 4%; Undecided with 6%
21. "Another candidate" with 0%; Undecided with 10%
22. "Another candidate" with 1%; Undecided with 10%
23. "Another candidate" with 5%; Undecided with 17%
24. Undecided with 11%