RYE, N.H. — Scott Brown, the former U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and one-term senator from Massachusetts, is actively considering a run for the Senate in New Hampshire in 2026.
If Brown enters the race, it could set up a high-profile rematch with Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, making the contest one of the most closely watched and competitive Senate races in a key swing state.
Brown, 65, remains active both physically and politically. Having competed in nine triathlons this year and regularly performing with his band, Scott Brown and the Diplomats, Brown has been meeting with Republican and conservative groups across New Hampshire.
“I’m doing my due diligence, meeting with anybody and everybody,” Brown told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “You’ll be seeing me a lot around, whether it’s parades, triathlons, my rock band, meeting, and getting out and really learning.”
Criticism of New Hampshire Democrats
Brown expressed frustration with New Hampshire’s all-Democratic congressional delegation.
“The thing that really ticks me off is how they’ve basically covered up for [President] Joe Biden for the last four years,” he said. “What they’ve done or not done on the border, what they’ve done and not done on inflation—they’re just completely out of touch with what we want here in New Hampshire. The more I think about it, I think we can do better.”
From Massachusetts Senator to Granite State Contender
Brown first rose to prominence in 2010, winning a special election to the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts to fill the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat. After losing reelection in 2012 to Elizabeth Warren, Brown moved to New Hampshire, where he launched a Senate bid in 2014. Despite a spirited campaign, he narrowly lost to Shaheen.
During Donald Trump’s presidency, Brown served as ambassador to New Zealand, a role he held for four years. Upon returning to New Hampshire, he supported his wife, Gail, in her 2022 congressional bid and continued hosting political events, including his well-known “Backyard BBQs.”
Responding to Residency Questions
Critics have again raised questions about Brown’s residency, a line of attack he faced during his 2014 campaign. Progressive group Amplify NH recently claimed, “The gentleman from Massachusetts is clawing for another chance at power, framing himself once again as a Senate candidate for New Hampshire.”
Brown dismissed these criticisms as “old news,” noting, “We’ve had a house here for over three decades, and we’ve been fully engaged full-time here for over a decade.”
GOP Eyes New Hampshire
With the GOP holding a 53-47 Senate majority, Republicans are targeting seats in New Hampshire, Georgia, and Michigan in 2026. Although Shaheen hasn’t announced whether she’ll seek reelection, her position as the incoming top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee signals her continued influence.
Shaheen, 77, has won her last two Senate races by comfortable margins, but a Shaheen-Brown rematch would test the political dynamics in a state that gave Donald Trump a narrow loss to Kamala Harris in 2024.
When asked about Shaheen, Brown praised her bipartisan work, particularly her support during his ambassadorial confirmation, but added, “I think it’s up to her [to decide about another term]. I’m 65, and I feel like I’m 40. My wife says I act like I’m 12.”
“A Long Runway”
Unlike his 2014 campaign, when he launched just seven months before Election Day, Brown emphasized the advantage of planning early this time.
“I have a long runway,” he said. “I’m going to do what I’ve been doing for almost a decade now—going around, meeting with people, participating in the process.”
If Brown decides to run, he hinted that he’d welcome Trump’s involvement on the campaign trail. “If he’s got the time, of course,” Brown said, noting Trump’s impact on national and New Hampshire politics.
Brown’s entry into the race would make the New Hampshire Senate contest a focal point of the 2026 midterms, as Republicans aim to consolidate their majority in the Senate.
