Democrats held on to both of New Hampshire’s congressional seats with decisive wins on Tuesday, continuing the party’s decade-long record of success in federal races in the state and boosting Democrats’ chances of retaking Congress.
In the 1st Congressional District, Democrat Stefany Shaheen defeated GOP nominee Anthony DiLorenzo, according to the Associated Press, which called the race shortly before 9:30pm. Shaheen, who lives in Portsmouth, will fill the seat being vacated by incumbent Congressman Chris Pappas.
Incumbent Maggie Goodlander defeated Republican challenger Lily Tang Williams in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the western portion of New Hampshire. The Associated Press called that race shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Tuesday’s wins by Democrats continued a streak: The 1st District has now gone blue in six consecutive races, while the 2nd District hasn’t been held by a Republican since Charlie Bass won in 2010.
Shaheen carries on family’s political legacy
This race was Shaheen’s first run for office outside of her hometown of Portsmouth. But she is the daughter of perhaps the most successful — and powerful — politician in recent state history: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
While her famous last name was a draw for many voters, it was a turnoff for others, and Shaheen sought to establish her own identity. Through both the primary and general election, Shaheen touted her work in health care, including on diabetes research inspired by her daughter’s childhood diagnosis. At times, she also had to respond to criticism that a highly lucrative consulting position at ARMI, a federally-funded biomanufacturing collaborative in Manchester, was a direct result of her mother’s advocacy and support for the project.
Those lines of attack appear to have done little to damage her campaign.
“Tonight is proof we can do big things, and we can bring about big change,” Shaheen told supporters in Manchester Tuesday night. She also thanked her volunteers: “In the midst of working, taking care of kids or parents, your many responsibilities, you made time to help make New Hampshire, and America better.”
DiLorenzo, who founded Key Auto Group, easily won the Republican primary after receiving President Trump’s endorsement. But in the general election, he sought to distance himself from Trump on some issues, including the administration’s tariffs and the need to end the war in Iran.
He used his considerable wealth to loan his campaign $5.5 million, but ran into steep headwinds in a district that has become reliably Democratic over the past decade.
DiLorenzo’s campaign finance disclosures, which put his wealth at no more than $6 million, also became a line of attack for Shaheen. He owns a house valued at twice that amount in Portsmouth, along with other assets including boats, but argued he didn’t need to disclose his assets because they were placed into trusts, something Shaheen used to paint him as untrustworthy.
Goodlander cruises again
Two years after first stepping onto New Hampshire’s political scene, Goodlander faced a far easier route this campaign. She easily defeated a progressive challenger in the primary — Paige Beauchemin, a state representative from Nashua — and consistently held wide margins over Williams in pre-election polling.
Goodlander, who lives in Concord, is from a well-connected Nashua family, and is married to Jake Sullivan, the former National Security Advisor in the Biden administration. She’s also held key roles in Washington, including as a Supreme Court clerk and Justice Department lawyer.
“Government is a trust, and I know whose trust it is. It is your trust,” Goodlander told supporters at an election night gathering in Concord. “And whether you voted for me or not, I will work for you.”
After giving her victory speech, Goodlander was feted with a cake: Wednesday marks her 40th birthday.
For Williams, this is her third unsuccessful run for the congressional district that includes Concord, the Monadnock region, the Upper Valley and the North Country. Williams has leaned heavily on her own personal story during her campaigns: She was born and raised in China, and routinely warned of the threat of communism while talking to voters.
Goodlander and Williams disagreed on most policy issues during the campaign, including the federal government’s role in healthcare affordability, and how to best tackle energy prices. The candidates did find alignment on limiting stock trading by members of Congress, and a need to crack down on corruption.
