Senator Jeanne Shaheen is drawing on her deep network of political allies as she works to boost her daughter, Stefany Shaheen, in an increasingly contentious Democratic primary in New Hampshire.
With voters heading to the polls Tuesday, the fight to succeed Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas has emerged as one of the most closely scrutinized House primaries of the 2026 election cycle — and a race that has sharpened debate over family names, influence and political dynasties.
Punchbowl News reported that Senator Shaheen has been using her long-standing relationships with lobbyists and major donors to encourage financial and political support for her daughter’s campaign.
The New Hampshire Democrat has also reportedly stepped in directly with VoteVets, a Democratic veterans organization that has poured $2.6 million into backing Maura Sullivan, Stefany Shaheen’s leading opponent.
According to Punchbowl, Shaheen called the group to object to its support for Sullivan, underscoring how personal and high-stakes the primary has become.
The behind-the-scenes pressure comes as the New Hampshire congressional race has grown more combative. In a recent television ad, Sullivan’s campaign took direct aim at the Shaheen family legacy, declaring: ‘Stefany’s the kind of person that was born on third base and thought she hit a triple. I want a fighter, not a fancy last name.’
Sullivan went further, accusing the 52-year-old Shaheen of acting as though she was ‘entitled’ to voters’ backing, while contrasting that with her own message: ‘I know I have to earn it.’
Stefany Shaheen, for her part, has sought to put Sullivan on the defensive by criticizing her support from AIPAC donors and corporate interests.
PunchBowl claim Senator Jeanne Shaheen personally intervened with VoteVets, a Democratic veterans group that has spent $2.6 million supporting Maura Sullivan, her daughtert Stefany’s chief rival
Sullivan’s campaign has directly attacked Shaheen’s family name in a recent television ad, saying: ‘Stefany’s the kind of person that was born on third base and thought she hit a triple. I want a fighter, not a fancy last name’
A three-poll average has Sullivan at 27.3 percent and Shaheen at 23.3 percent, according to 270toWin
The race has also undergone a dramatic late shift.
Stefany Shaheen was the early frontrunner, but Sullivan has surged in the final stretch. Three recent polls have put Sullivan ahead of Shaheen.
A Saint Anselm College poll conducted in August had Sullivan at 26 percent and Shaheen at 24 percent.
A University of New Hampshire survey later showed Sullivan leading 23 percent to 19 percent. And the most recent Tavern Research poll, conducted August 28-31, found Sullivan with a 33 percent to 27 percent lead over Shaheen.
A significant numbers of voters remain undecided, raising the stakes in the final hours before ballots are cast.
On Sunday, Christian Urrutia, another Democratic candidate who had struggled to gain momentum, dropped out of the race and endorsed Stefany, giving her campaign a last-minute boost with the primary just one day away.
The primary’s late surge by Sullivan comes as outside spending has poured into the race, with VoteVets among the groups backing her.
NHPR reported that the contest has become increasingly shaped by outside spending and increasingly negative attacks between the two leading candidates.
The GOP primary is also crowded, with Portsmouth businessman Anthony DiLorenzo, state Representative Brian Cole, businesswoman Hollie Noveletsky, Melissa Bailey and Lindsey Anderson among those seeking the nomination. The Republican candidate will not be determined until Tuesday’s primary.
The district could be competitive in November.
Democrat Kamala Harris carried the district by just two percentage points in 2024, although Pappas won reelection by eight points that year. Pappas is now pursuing the elder Shaheen’s Senate seat.
Stefany is hardly a newcomer to New Hampshire public life.
Before launching her congressional campaign, she served on the Portsmouth City Council from 2014 to 2016 and later chaired the Portsmouth Police Commission from 2019 to 2024.
She entered the congressional race in 2025, after years working in business, health care and local politics.
Her mother, meanwhile, is retiring from the Senate after nearly two decades in Congress and previously served as New Hampshire’s governor — making her one of the state’s most recognizable Democratic figures.
The Daily Mail reached out to Senator Shaheen, Stefany Shaheen and Maura Sullivan for comment.
