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2026 NH Senate General Election

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The New Hampshire Senate is the counterpart to the New Hampshire House in the NH Legislature. There are 24 state Senate voting districts, each electing a single senator to a two-year term. Our profiles include candidate issue positions and background information to help you make an informed decision on who to vote for.

Voting Date:

District 1

Cathleen Fountain
Cathleen A. Fountain    
Democrat

"US Navy Veteran, with over 30 years of experience in Accounting, Healthcare, Industry & Customer Service. Formerly served as Planning Board Secretary and Trustee of the Trust Funds, Serve as Library Trustee, SAU36 School Board member for Dalton, and 4th Term as Supervisor of the Checklist for Dalton."

David Rochefort
David Rochefort (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2024 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2022 - 2024), Pharmacist; Littleton Zoning Board

District 2

Tim Lang
Timothy P. Lang Sr. (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2016 - 2022); Winnisquam School Board & Budget Committee; Sanbornton Town Moderator; Town Budget Committee; Former Zoning Board Chair

Kurt Webber
Kurt Webber    
Democrat

Army officer (retired, 23 years); Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces (Green Beret); Professor, Lakes Region Community College and New Hampshire Technical Institute (2001 - 2017)

District 3

Bobbi Boudman
Bobbi Boudman    
Democrat

Financial Analyst; City Director; Non-profit Manager; Small Business Owner; Athletic Director; Substitute Teacher

Mark McConkey
Mark E. McConkey (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2024 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2002 - 2018, 2020 - 2024); Past Chairman Ossipee Zoning Board; Small Business Owner; numerous other local boards and committees

District 4

Shawn Mickelonis
Shawn Mickelonis    
Republican

Former Representative, NH House of Representatives (2006 - 2008); NH Department of Transportation Project Commissioner; Chairman of the Greater Dover Republican Committee

David Watters
David H. Watters (incumbent)  
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2012 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2008 - 2012); Professor Emeritus, University of New Hampshire

District 5

Suzanne Prentiss
Suzanne M. Prentiss (incumbent)  
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2020 - present); Lebanon City Councilor (12 years); Mayor of Lebanon (2 years); former Chief of EMS, NH Department of Safety; paramedic

Schoeftter
Conrad Schoeffter    
Republican

Founder and chair, Plainfield–Cornish Republican Town Committee; member, Sullivan County Republican Caucus; NH GOP vice chair for Sullivan and Cheshire counties; chair, NH GOP ad hoc committee for immigrant outreach; trustee, Log Cabin Republicans

District 6

cecil abels
Cecil Abels    
Democrat

Owner, MrSippy BBQ, Barrington, NH (2014 - Present); General Manager, Lark Hotels (The Hotel Portsmouth) (2019); Consultant, Barrio Portsmouth (J2018); General Manager, Martingale Wharf (2016 - 2018); Realtor, Keller Williams Coastal (2011 - 2012)

James P. Gray (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2016 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2012 - 2016); Senior Engineering Manager for Industrial Operation, Naval Sea Systems Command; Ward Moderator, Town of Rochester; School Board Member, Planning Board Member

District 7

Rebecca Harned
Rebecca Harned    
Democrat

Principal Research Scientist, UL Research Institutes (2025-Present); Senior Advisor, U.S. Fire Administration (2022-2025); Assistant Executive Director, International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Washington, DC (2022-2024); Adjunct Professor, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH (2020-2022); Vice President, 4 Arrows Consulting, Inc., Washington DC-Baltimore Area (2020-2022)

Dan Innis
Daniel Innis (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present, 2016 - 2018); Professor of Marketing and Hospitality Management, University of New Hampshire; Former Dean of the Paul College, University of New Hampshire; co-owner of Trails End Acres Wagyu Farm

District 8

Jim Creighton
Jim Creighton    
Republican

Representative, NH House of Representatives (2020 - present); Chair, House Labor Committee; former Vice Chair, House Executive Departments and Administration Committee; Colonel, U.S. Army (retired); Supervisor of the Checklist, Antrim (2016 - 2020)

David Trumble
David Trumble    
Democrat

Organic farmer; college debate coach; founder, NH Mental Health Law Clinic

District 9

Matt McLaughlin
Matthew McLaughlin    
Democrat

"I was born and raised in Bedford, the youngest of 10 children. I attended the US Naval Academy and after graduation became a tactical naval aviator flying the A-7E Corsair II.

"After retiring from the Navy my wife and I returned to New Hampshire to raise our family. I flew as a commercial airline pilot for 33 years.

"My community experience includes coaching the girls lacrosse team at West High School in Manchester, coaching and reffing Bedford youth sports, Volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels, and a frequent platelet donor for the Red Cross in Manchester."

Denise Ricciardi
Denise Ricciardi (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2020 - present); Vice Chairman, Bedford Town Council; founder, Bedford Cares; volunteered in over 20 non-profit and community groups

District 10

Donovan Fenton (incumbent)  
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2016 - present); Sales Coordinator, Fenton Family Dealerships; Board Member, The Community Kitchen; Volunteer, Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention (MCVP)

District 11

Shannon Chandley
Shannon E. Chandley    
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2018 - 2020, 2022 - 2024); ranking Democrat, Senate Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee; Representative, NH House of Representatives (2016 - 2018, 2012 - 2014, 2008 - 2010); former chair, Committee on Resources, Recreation and Development

Tim McGough
Tim McGough (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2024 - present); 3 Terms NH State Representative (1996-2000, 2022-2024), House Commerce & Consumer Affairs Committee (3 terms), House Resources, Recreation & Development, NH Canadian Trade Council (clerk), NH Healthcare Consumer Protection Commission (Vice Chair), Long-Term Drinking Water Commission, Christa McAuliffe Memorial Commission, National Council of State Legislatures (state coordinator), American Legislative Exchange Council, Nashua Fish & Game Assoc., Chief Commercial Officer (medical device), 9 patents in biotech, Youth Football & Lacrosse Coach

District 12

Kevin Avard
Kevin A. Avard (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2014 - 2018, 2020 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2010 - 2012); Small Business Owner

Carryl Roy
Carryl L. Roy    
Democrat

Chair, Hollis School Board

District 13

Daniel Paul
Daniel J. Paul    
Republican

U.S. Navy

Laura Telerski    
Democrat

Representative, NH House of Representatives (2018 - present); account executive; full-time parent; Selectman, Nashua Ward 8

District 14

Sharon M. Carson (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2008 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2000 - 2008); Member, Pro-Gun New Hampshire Council of Advisors; Member, Board of Governors for the Vesta Roy Women in Government Series; State Director, Women in Government; Adjunct Faculty, Nashua Community College; Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army/U.S. Army Reserve (1978 - 1995)

no photo provided generic silhouette
Timothy Wyatt    
Democrat

Support representative, Sustainability Committee, Citizens Traffic Advisory Committee, Democrat Committee Treasurer

District 15

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Dennis Blankenbeker    
Republican

Senior Project Manager, AISG (2006 - 2010); Project Manager in Information Technology

Tara Reardon
Tara Reardon (incumbent)  
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2024 - present); Merrimack County Commissioner, current chair; retired attorney; representative, NH House of Representatives (1997 - 2009); School Board Member; At-large City Councilor

District 16

Dian McCarthy
Dian McCarthy    
Democrat
Executive Director, Crispin’s House Coalition for Youth; member, Goffstown School Board (2010 - 2019)
Keith Murphy
Keith Murphy (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2010 - 2018); Restaurant Owner

District 17

Bob Lawliss
Robert Lawliss    
Democrat

Retired software engineer

Howard Pearl
Howard C. Pearl (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2016 - 2022); Member, Loudon ZBA (13 years); Loudon Moderator (2 years); Member, Merrimack County Farm Bureau Board of Directors; Farmer

District 18

Leonard Bell
Leonard Bell    
Democrat

Career Team Lead, Southern New Hampshire University, Remote (2023-Present); Team Lead Career Advising/Adjunct Faculty Instructor, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH (2020-Present); Graduate Career Military Advisor III, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH (2018-Present); Substitute Teacher & Para Professional, Manchester School District (2012-2015); Leading Petty Officer, US Navy, various duty stations (2004-2011)

Victoria Sullivan (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2024 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2014 - 2018); former Assistant Majority Leader; former Selectman

District 19

Regina M. Birdsell (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2014 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2010 - 2014); Veteran, U.S. Coast Guard (10 years); human resources (retired)

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Michelle Moge    
Democrat

Former Town Councilor at Large, Derry, NH

District 20

Patrick Binder
Patrick Binder    
Republican

Businessman

Patrick "Pat" Long (incumbent)  
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2024 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2006 - 2024); Retired Union Ironworker; Alderman, City of Manchester (15th year); former member, Manchester Board of School Committee

District 21

no photo provided generic silhouette
Jeffrey D. Berlin    
Republican
Rebecca Perkins Kwoka
Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (incumbent)  
Democrat

"Rebecca has a long legacy of public service, from her 2 years with the Peace Corps in Senegal to her two terms on the Portsmouth City Council and service on Rockingham Planning Commission, the Planning Board, Workforce Housing Coalition, and as a Commissioner of the Portsmouth Housing Authority. She has been a workforce and affordable housing advocate for over a decade, starting the 603 Initiative to help keep thriving young people in New Hampshire. By day, Rebecca is General Counsel at a solar company. She is a graduate of Leadership New Hampshire and Leadership Seacoast, a member of the class of 40 under 40, and has been featured in New Hampshire Business Review and on NHPR's The Exchange."

District 22

Daryl A. Abbas (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2018 - 2022); Attorney, Upper Charles Law Group LLC

Chris Tardif
Chris Tardif    
Democrat

Trustee of Trust Funds; Municipal Budget Committee

District 23

David Childs
David Childs    
Democrat

Edenlawn Plantation; Matin Co. Historical Society; Mystic Seaport Museum; retired to South Hampton 9 years

Bill Gannon
William "Bill" Gannon (incumbent)  
Republican

Senator, NH Senate (2016 - 2018, 2020 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (2014 - 2016); Town Planning Board; Attorney (30 years)

District 24

Debra Altschiller (incumbent)  
Democrat

Senator, NH Senate (2022 - present); Representative, NH House of Representatives (3 terms); current member, NH Suicide Prevention Council; current member, Oversight Committee for Education Freedom Accounts; current member, National Alliance for Mental Health Public Policy Committee; 2024 Legislator of the Year, NAMI NH; 2024 Champion for Gun Safety Legislator; 2023 Legislative Champion Award, National Coalition on Adult Basic Education; 2021 Unity Award, General Federation of Women’s Club’s NH

Lou Gargiulo
Lou Gargiulo    
Republican

Three term Selectmen; former State Representative; US Army Commissioned Army Officer; CEO of Real Estate Asset Firm

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