Jeanne Shaheen

Democrat senior Senator of New Hampshire

  • Senator

    New Hampshire

    January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2027

8

Congresses Served

3

Senate Terms

January 1, 1947 (78 years old)

Birthday

  • First woman elected as both a governor and a U.S. senator
  • Served as the 78th governor of New Hampshire from 1997 to 2003
  • Has been serving as the senior United States senator since January 2009
  • Worked as director of the Harvard Institute of Politics before running for the U.S. Senate
  • Became the first Democratic senator from New Hampshire since John A. Durkin in 1980
  • Re-elected to the Senate in 2014 and 2020
  • Born in St. Charles, Missouri, and moved to New Hampshire in 1973
  • Holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in political science
  • Worked on several political campaigns, including Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign
  • Supported Al Gore in the 2000 Democratic presidential primary and was considered for his vice presidential nominee
  • Named national chairperson of John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign
  • Advocates for health care reform, including the Medicare Transitional Care Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
  • Supports gun control measures, including making it illegal for individuals on the terrorist watchlist to buy guns
  • Proposed legislation following the BP oil spill to abolish the Minerals Management Service
  • Initially supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq but later criticized the handling of the situation
  • Changed stance to support same-sex marriage and sponsored the Respect for Marriage Act
  • Voted against a $15/hour minimum wage amendment in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
  • Holds several committee assignments, including Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee