GOP state Sen. Dan Innis launched his campaign Wednesday for New Hampshire’s open U.S. Senate seat, setting up a primary showdown with former Sen. Scott Brown.
The three-term GOP state senator announced his run in a video online, joining the 2026 race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
The contest is expected to be both costly and closely fought, as Republicans look to flip the seat in one of their top three pickup opportunities, alongside Georgia and Michigan, in a bid to grow their 53-47 Senate majority.
In a campaign video filmed on his farm, Innis, dressed casually and surrounded by livestock, took aim at Democratic immigration policies.
“They think a wide open border is compassionate,” Innis said. “Tell that to the families losing loved ones to fentanyl, to the towns overwhelmed by crime and chaos, and to the taxpayers who are footing the bill.”
In the New Hampshire State Senate, I’ve:
Cut taxes
My opponent, @ChrisPappasNH, has:
Voted against deporting illegal immigrants arrested for drunk driving
— Dan Innis (@daninnis) July 16, 2025
Innis made two unsuccessful bids for the GOP nomination in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District in 2014 and 2016. Since then, he’s completed three terms in the state Senate and led the University of New Hampshire’s Paul College of Business as dean. His career has also included owning and managing several hospitality businesses across the state.
Although Republicans hold full control of New Hampshire’s state government, the state has elected an all-Democratic congressional delegation for nearly a decade. Innis is attempting to make the case that he can help advance Trump’s agenda in the Senate.
“Trump needs backup in the Senate,” he said toward the end of the ad.
Innis criticized the delegation, saying it “isn’t carrying the message that we’re hearing on the ground in New Hampshire,” a message he defined as “keep government out of my life, keep taxes low, secure the border and help grow the economy.”
He also criticized Rep. Chris Pappas, a four-term lawmaker who, so far, faces no challengers for the Democratic nomination.
“I don’t think Rep. Pappas has represented us well at all,” Innis said. “We need someone new down there who’s going to take New Hampshire to Washington and show them how to get things done.”
Now in his fourth term representing New Hampshire in Congress, Pappas previously held a range of elected roles across the state. He was endorsed by Shaheen, who announced her plans to retire from the Senate earlier this year when her term ends in 2026.
Innis joins a field that includes former Sen. Scott Brown, who held a diplomatic post in New Zealand during Trump’s first administration and declared his candidacy in June. For months leading up to his official entry, Brown had been actively touring the state, engaging with GOP activists and right-leaning organizations.
Earlier this year, former Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) decided against running for the Senate next year despite winning an endorsement from Trump. Sununu was viewed as the front-runner in New Hampshire’s Senate race before he decided against a bid.
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Democrats wasted no time drawing attention to the intensifying Republican primary following Innis’ entry into the race.
“After their embarrassing recruitment failure in New Hampshire, Republicans are now facing a messy primary with Dan Innis’ entrance into the race,” said Maeve Coyle, a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokeswoman.
“Dan Innis and Scott Brown will both have to answer for the toxic GOP plan to spike costs and cut Medicaid as they compete for Trump’s endorsement,” Coyle added.