Jeanne Shaheen tops GOP incumbent John Sununu by a 7-point margin. She becomes first NH woman to win election to US Senate, and first local Democrat to hold a Senate seat in 28 years.
Jeanne Shaheen gives her victory speech in Manchester. (Tracy Lee Carroll, NHPR)
In 2002, the vote counting went until midnight, this time Shaheen supporters celebrated early.
"Jeanne Shaheen, Jeanne Shaheen, Jeannne Shaheen"
The candidate claimed victory shortly after 9.
“Today the people of NH spoke at the ballot box. And they said loud and clear they want a new direction.”
Shaheen promised to provide one by focusing on issues like health care, renewable energy and ending the Iraq war. She and John Sununu clashed on these topics during an often bitter campaign, in which Shaheen tied the incumbent to the policies of President Bush. In his concession speech, John Sununu agreed that the voters had spoken, and though he never mentioned Jeanne Shaheen by name he said all election winners deserve good fortune as they grapple with the public’s business. When it came to his own future, the youngest member of the senate stopped short of ruling out a political return.
“I do not know what the future holds for me other than perhaps to spend more time with my children, and I’m perfectly happy returning to the
Crowd: “Governor, Governor.”
“Let me be clear, I don’t know what the future holds for me.”
The Senator's father, former Governor John H. Sununu, also seemed to have an eye on the horizon. He stressed to all in earshot that his son’s defeat wasn’t based on the merits, but on a credulous electorate.
“It’s a trend being driven by a huge segment of the voting population that thinks platitudes are sufficient without any plan or detail or idea how they are going to achieve what is being said in those platitudes. Since I’m an old fogey, I’ve been around long enough to know the pendulum swings the other way.”
Seasoned Democrats, meanwhile, saw a far different dynamic.
“It just seems like we’ve come full circle since 2002.”
Kathy Sullivan is former state Democratic party chairman.
“I’m just so happy Governor Shaheen is going to be in the Senate and with all the other results we had tonight it’s just a real affirmation of everything the Democratic party has been doing in NH over the last few years.”
-Anything else you want to say?
“They never should've jammed our phone lines. Hahahahaha”
Sullivan and other Shaheen loyalists looked ready to laugh and celebrate deep into the night. More than a few said they saw Shaheen’s win as anchoring the gains local democrats made in 2006.
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