New Hampshire Republicans have opened a nearly 50,000-voter registration advantage over Democrats as the Granite State heads toward the 2026 midterms, a shift that could reshape historically fluid federal and statewide races, even as the state’s electorate keeps a blue streak in national contests. 
New data from the state’s Secretary of State shows Republican enrollment topping 315,685 voters compared with 266,413 registered Democrats, giving the GOP a sizable edge heading into a series of tightly contested elections. While the numbers signal momentum for the GOP, New Hampshire’s electoral identity remains nuanced. The state has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential contest since 2004, including the 2024 race, in which Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state even as Republicans strengthened their control of the governorship and state legislature. 
Most striking is the size of the undeclared bloc. Nearly 375,000 Granite Staters lack formal party affiliation, outnumbering both major parties and allowing them to participate in either primary under New Hampshire’s semi-open system. Those voters have helped shape split outcomes in recent cycles, breaking for Democrats in federal contests and for Republicans down-ballot. 
The current registration gap is the product of a longer post-COVID trend. Since 2021, Republican enrollment in New Hampshire has steadily climbed, accelerating after the 2022 and 2024 election cycles, while Democratic registration has largely stagnated or declined modestly. State data shows Republicans have added more than 45,000 voters since late 2023 alone, while Democratic numbers have remained relatively flat over the same period. The growth has come largely at the expense of undeclared and inactive voters re-registering with the GOP, reflecting broader national shifts in party alignment following pandemic-era politics and cultural debates.
Republican strategists argue that a growing registration lead is more than cosmetic. In a 2025 briefing after the announced retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the National Republican Senatorial Committee released a briefing on the chances of the future Senate race: “New Hampshire demonstrates a favorable political environment for Republicans in this toss-up Senate race. With a registration advantage, an edge on the generic ballot… Republicans are well positioned to flip this open Senate seat in New Hampshire regardless of who either party nominates.”
Democrats are not ignoring the trend: national party leaders have launched an ambitious voter registration drive to counter Republican gains in key states, acknowledging that shifts in party enrollment have eroded Democratic ground in recent cycles. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said large-scale registration efforts are needed to “chip away” at GOP advantages ahead of 2026. 
The implications of a GOP registration edge extend beyond registration rolls into competitive races. With Shaheen retiring, the open Senate seat is a high-profile target for Republicans. How Republicans and Democrats capitalize on voter-file shifts, mobilize independents, and generate turnout could ultimately decide not only the Senate contest but control of the state House and other federal seats.
New Hampshire’s electoral landscape remains uneven and hard to predict; a voter registration advantage for the GOP and firm Republican control at the state level, yet a history of Democratic success in federal contests and a sizable undeclared voting bloc. The coming months — from primaries through the midterms — should be a good test of whether party registration is a viable predictor of purple state tendencies going forward.

Welcome to New Hampshire Sign

Red New Hampshire? GOP Registration Eclipses Dems By Nearly 50K

Elections

New Hampshire

Politics

President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered a pause on the United States green card diversity lottery immigrant visa program, which authorities say allowed the man who killed two Brown University students and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor to enter the country.
Police <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/brown-shooting-suspect-found-dead-by-suicide-in-new-hampshire-storage-facility?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Brown+Shooting+Suspect+Found+Dead+By+Suicide%2C+Identity+Released+By+Authorities">identified</a> the shooter as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national and former Brown University student who immigrated to the United States in 2017. Authorities found Valente dead in a New Hampshire storage unit on Thursday night, from what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“The Brown University shooter, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente entered the United States through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program (DV1) in 2017 and was granted a green card. This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://x.com/sec_noem/status/2001873077089767435?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">said</a> on X. “In 2017, President Trump fought to end this program, following the devastating NYC truck ramming by an ISIS terrorist, who entered under the DV1 program, and murdered eight people.”
Trump called on Congress to eliminate the visa lottery after that attack, but the effort failed.
“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program,” Noem added. 
The “diversity visa” program allows up to 55,000 immigrants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States into the country every year, according to the State Department. 
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Valente, a lawful permanent resident, attended Brown University as a physics student in 2001 and re-entered the United States 16 years later under the diversity visa program as a green card holder. Authorities believe he acted alone and have not revealed a motive. Investigators say Valente remained at large for six days after the Brown shootings, during which he allegedly entered an engineering building and opened fire, leaving two people dead and injuring nine more. While on the run, authorities believe he fatally shot MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at his home.
Police traced Valente to the New Hampshire storage facility after receiving a tip based on a Reddit post from someone who said they had seen the vehicle used by the gunman. “I’m being dead serious. The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental,” the post said, according to a police affidavit. 
That person later came forward to the police and provided a description of Valente. He said that he asked Valente why he was circling the block near the university, to which he replied, “I don’t know you from nobody,” and “Why are you harassing me?” 
Brown University officials and police have faced scrutiny over their handling of the investigation, including questions about why more surveillance footage was not available from the campus building where the shooting occurred.
“I know this has been hard on all of us over the past five days,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said at a Thursday night press conference. “Minutes have felt like hours, but the people of Providence have done what we’re best at – we’ve leaned on one another, come together and supported one another, and showed the nation what a tight-knit community looks like.”

Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente

Trump Stops ‘Diversity’ Program That Allowed Brown University Shooter Into U.S.

Brown University

Donald Trump

Immigration

Kristi Noem

Rhode Island

The suspect in the Brown University shooting has been found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a New Hampshire storage facility, according to Fox News.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Police chief identifies Brown University shooting suspect in press conference after he&#8217;s found dead. <a href="https://t.co/rK8R6ouaAh">pic.twitter.com/rK8R6ouaAh</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2001846650323841230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez identified the suspect as Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, whose last known address was in Miami.
Valente is a legal permanent resident who attended Brown as a physics student in 2001. He re-entered the country in 2017 as a green card holder. Authorities believe he acted alone.
<div id="attachment_1017563" style="width: 497px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1017563" class="wp-image-1017563 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-487x576.jpeg" alt="" width="487" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-487x576.jpeg 487w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-254x300.jpeg 254w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-768x907.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2.jpeg 1206w" sizes=" (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px" />Image via Providence Police Dept.</div>
Authorities confirmed that Valente killed MIT professor Nuno Loureiro in his home, less than 50 miles from Brown University. Valente previously attended the same university program as Loureiro in 1995, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Law enforcement traced the suspect to a rental car location in Boston, and then to a storage facility in New Hampshire, where he was found deceased via a self-inflicted gunshot wound, along with the satchel seen on video footage and two firearms.
This marks the end of a 6-day-long manhunt that spanned three states and involved local, federal, and state law enforcement.
“I know this has been hard on all of us over the past five days,” Providence Mayor Smiley said at a Thursday night press conference. “Minutes have felt like hours, but the people of Providence have done what we’re best at – we’ve leaned on one another, come together and supported one another, and showed the nation what a tight knit community looks like.”
“Tonight our Providence neighbors can breathe a little easier,” Smiley said.
The Rhode Island press conference has yet to mention the shooting of an MIT professor. A separate news conference is planned in Boston around 10:30 p.m. EST.

Brown Shooting Suspect Found Dead By Suicide, Identity Released By Authorities

Crime

Police

Shooting

U.S.

Law enforcement is swarming a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, after locating an abandoned car linked to the Brown University shooting suspect.
Authorities believe the identified license plate matches the vehicle used in the Monday killing of an MIT professor in his home, less than 50 miles from Brown University, according to CNN.
Officers equipped with night vision and long rifles have surrounded the facility, and Fox News National Correspondent Brooke Taylor <a href="https://x.com/Brooketaylortv/status/2001816919813296600?s=20">reports</a> that local and federal law enforcement are preparing to enter the building after reviewing surveillance footage.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Police were visible outside a building in Salem, New Hampshire. The activity was believed to be related to the Brown University shooting. Sources told NBC 10 earlier that the person of interest had been identified.<a href="https://t.co/rPZVMYxuU8">https://t.co/rPZVMYxuU8</a> <a href="https://t.co/miv8QBm5dF">pic.twitter.com/miv8QBm5dF</a>
— NBC 10 WJAR (@NBC10) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBC10/status/2001809038695104915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sources told Fox News that video surveillance shows the suspect entering the facility, but it is currently unclear if he ever left. Police have obtained a warrant to search the facility, per the New York Times.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Sources on the ground tell me that the suspected shooter has a storage unit under his name, in the facility where the abandoned car was found in New Hampshire. Agents have entered the facility but NOT his unit. Video shows him going into the storage facility at some…
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brooketaylortv/status/2001829086935544040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Salem Police Department issued an alert to residents regarding the police activity at the storage facility, stating they are assisting several federal agencies with “an active and ongoing investigation.”
“At this time, there is no information indicating an imminent risk to the public or residents of Salem,” police said. “However, we encourage everyone to remain vigilant and exercise heightened caution.”
Police are urging residents to report anyone who appears “out of place, unfamiliar to the area or behaving in a manner that seems unusual or suspicious.”
The news conference on the Brown University shooting investigation, scheduled initially at 4 p.m. EST Thursday, has been delayed.
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Shooting At Brown University In Providence Leaves Multiple People Dead And Injured

Police Surround New Hampshire Storage Facility Linked To Suspected Brown University Shooter

WASHINGTON—The Senate&#8217;s move towards ending the government shutdown sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party, pitting former allies against each other — including a senator and her daughter.
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen was one of the Democrats who voted to break the filibuster Sunday night, a necessary first step towards ending the longest-ever government shutdown. Many Democrats opposed the move, claiming the shutdown will all be for naught if lawmakers cannot guarantee an extension of Obamacare subsidies. Shaheen acknowledged this opposition in a statement framing her vote less as a win than a necessity.
“This agreement gives Democrats control of the Senate floor — at a time when Republicans control every level of power — on one of our top legislative priorities: Extending the enhanced premium tax credits to make health care more affordable for millions of Americans,” Shaheen said.
&#8220;There is no one in the Senate who wants to see these tax credits extended more than me,&#8221; the Senator added. &#8220;But weeks of negotiations with Republicans have made clear that they will not address health care as part of shutdown talks — and that waiting longer will only prolong the pain Americans are feeling because of the shutdown.&#8221;
Not everyone agrees with Shaheen. That includes the senator&#8217;s daughter, Stefany, who&#8217;s running in New Hampshire&#8217;s First Congressional District.
&#8220;Improving health care has been the cause of my life,&#8221; the younger Shaheen said. &#8220;It&#8217;s why I am running for Congress. So I cannot support this deal when Speaker Johnson refuses to even allow a vote to extend health care tax credits.”
“Too many people will see health care costs that are already too high skyrocket even further starting in January,&#8221; she added. &#8220;This means more people will be uninsured, unable to see a doctor in times of need, and risk bankruptcy because of a diagnosis.&#8221;
Lawmakers who favored keeping the government closed say that extending Obamacare subsidies was essential, since premiums would skyrocket if they expire at the end of this year. Republicans say that the need for these subsidies is proof that the Affordable Care Act was unaffordable to begin with, and that the subsidies were not worth holding the government hostage.
Stefany Shaheen has a foot in each camp, saying, &#8220;We need to both end this shutdown and extend the ACA tax credits. Otherwise, no deal.&#8221;
It&#8217;s essential to ensure people have access to health care, and it&#8217;s past time to put paychecks back into people&#8217;s pockets and food back on families&#8217; tables,” she added.
The Cook Political Report ranks Shaheen&#8217;s race as a “Likely Democrat.” The seat is currently held by Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), who is running to succeed the elder Shaheen, who plans to retire upon finishing her term in 2027.
The federal government has not reopened as of Monday early afternoon, as the legislation in the Senate still needs a final vote before it heads to the Republican-majority House, and presumably President Donald Trump’s desk afterward.
Shaheen did not respond to a request for comment on her daughter’s statement.

Senate Democrats’ Medicare drug pricing presser

Jeanne Shaheen’s Shutdown Vote Put Her On The Outs With Dems — And Her Daughter

2026 election

Congress

Jeanne Shaheen

Senate

The New Hampshire Senate race was shaken up on Wednesday when former Senator John Sununu jumped into the Republican primary.
Sununu was a senator for the Granite State from 2003 until 2009 and served in the House of Representatives prior to that. He is the brother of former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. In 2008, he was defeated by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, who is now retiring, leaving the seat open and highly competitive.
&#8220;It’s been awhile since you elected me to serve New Hampshire, and boy have things changed. Washington’s never been perfect. It’s not meant to be,” the former senator said in his launch video.
“But when I was there, people with different opinions could get together, work things out, and come to solutions that made a real difference. But now Congress just seems loud, dysfunctional, even angry,” he said, saying that somebody needs to help “lower the temperature” and “get things done.”
Sununu got the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, currently led by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
“John Sununu’s deep roots and passion for the Granite State make him built to win. New Hampshire is ready for a proven leader who stands up for seniors, fights for economic and educational opportunity, and delivers real solutions to make life more affordable and prosperous,” Scott said on Wednesday morning.
“Granite Staters are fed up with Democrats like Chris Pappas, who is beholden to Nancy Pelosi and the most radical elements of his party instead of New Hampshire families. The [NRSC] is all-in for [Sununu]!” he added.
Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who was the former Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, is also vying for the open seat.
“Anyone who thinks that a Never Trump, corporate lobbyist who hasn’t won an election in a quarter century will resonate with today’s GOP primary voters is living in a different universe. While John was supporting John Kasich in 2016, I was campaigning with Donald Trump,” Brown told The Daily Wire in a statement regarding Sununu’s entrance.
“While John was fighting for special interests, I was serving in the first Trump administration. While John was wooing the DC establishment this summer, I have been working with grassroots activists across the Granite State. Senate seats are earned, not handed down. I stopped one political dynasty before, and intend to do the same in 2026,” the Republican continued.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Chris Pappas is considered the frontrunner in the race, currently ranked by the Cook Political Report as “Leans Democrat.”
“This race just became one of the most competitive in the country, and I’m up against deep-pocketed special interests,” the Democrat posted to X on Wednesday morning.
The Daily Wire reached out to Pappas’ campaign for comment.

Alberto Gonzales Survives Senate No Confidence Vote

Ex-GOP Senator Enters Highly Competitive Race In Hopes To Flip New Hampshire Red

chris pappas

John Sununu

Republicans

scott brown

In yet another disturbing episode of radicalized anti-government extremism, a 22-year-old New Hampshire man was arrested after allegedly <a href="https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/nh-man-accused-threatening-governor-weapon-mass-destruction-making">threatening to assassinate</a> Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte using a “weapon of mass destruction” — while spewing grotesquely antisemitic rhetoric involving “Jew feds” and the “Israel Deep State.”
Tristan Alexander Anderson, of Merrimack County, was taken into custody on August 28 after police were tipped off about a series of violent threats he made via Snapchat. In one message, Anderson wrote chillingly, “I’m going to target the NH Mayor Kelly Ayott (sic) with my weapon of mass destruction.” He then launched into a deranged antisemitic rant, declaring, “These Jew feds need to f***ing die” and also writing, “Same with polygamy, WHICH WAS CREATED BY THE F***ING JEWS AND ISRAEL DEEP STATE.”
Despite his inability to correctly name the governor — or differentiate between a mayor and the state’s highest executive — Anderson appeared deadly serious. Authorities revealed he had access to firearms, metal pipes, fireworks, nuts, and bolts — all potential bomb-making materials. His roommate told police that Anderson not only discussed building pipe bombs, but also showed her the components and claimed to be actively working on them.
Anderson was a full-blown red-flag threat. Anderson expressed intent, named his target, referenced a weapon of mass destruction, and was stockpiling materials consistent with a bomb plot. “From the probable cause statement, it sounds like Tristan Anderson was actively trying to realize and bring about the threats that he was making about Governor Ayotte,” former criminal prosecutor Jesse O&#8217;Neill <a href="https://www.wmur.com/article/arrest-alleged-threat-nh-governor-ayotte-09172025/66940374">stated</a>. “Depending on how (it) develops, (prosecutors) could very well bring additional charges as this case moves into the indictment phase.”
Court documents show the man was not unknown to law enforcement. Anderson has prior charges stemming from a March 2024 incident and another in <a href="https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/missing-bike-concord-church-service-leads-felony-charge-cop-log">December 2023</a>. He now faces felony charges of threatening a government official, with more possible as the investigation progresses.
Governor Ayotte, who took office amid <a href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2025/01/09/in-inaugural-address-ayotte-warns-of-budget-cuts-talks-up-efas-sanctuary-city-ban/">promises of law and order</a>, has reportedly been in discussions with state lawmakers and security officials to reevaluate protective measures for elected officials.
Anderson apparently embraced conspiracy theories that echo modern antisemitic talking points about Israel, government control, and Jewish influence.
Anderson is being held without bail and is scheduled for a dispositional hearing in November.

GOP New Hampshire Senate Candidate Kelly Ayotte Holds Election Night Event

Leftist Extremist Threatens GOP Gov With ‘Weapon Of Mass Destruction,’ Goes On Antisemitic Tirade

Anti-Semitism

assassination

Kelly Ayotte

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was seriously injured after a car accident in New Hampshire on Saturday night.
A spokesman for Giuliani said the 81-year-old was taken to a nearby trauma center with a fractured vertebrae and multiple cuts and bruises, including injuries to his left arm and lower leg. The spokesman said the accident occurred after Giuliani aided a woman who was a victim of domestic violence.
“Prior to the incident, Mayor Giuliani was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety,” said Michael Ragusa, head of security for the former mayor. “Following this, while traveling on the highway, Mayor Giuliani&#8217;s vehicle was struck from behind at high speed.”
“This was not a targeted attack. We ask everyone to respect Mayor Giuliani’s privacy and recovery, and refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories,” Ragusa added in a post on X.
The mayor is recovering in the hospital. His care is in part being overseen by his business partner, Maria Ryan, who is also a nurse. Ryan said that Giuliani is receiving further tests on his injuries.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/RudyGiuliani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RudyGiuliani</a> was in a car accident in NH on Aug 30 after assisting a domestic violence victim. He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously. Thank you for the prayers &amp; support. 🙏 official statement below. <a href="https://t.co/ohYJCcXpjR">pic.twitter.com/ohYJCcXpjR</a>
— Michael Ragusa (@themikeragu) <a href="https://twitter.com/themikeragu/status/1962211227372863536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
Ragusa added that “the mayor is in great spirits. He’s a beast. He survived 9/11,” according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/31/us-news/rudy-giuliani-hurt-in-car-wreck-after-helping-domestic-violence-victim-spokesman/">New York Post</a>.
Giuliani, who is known as “America’s mayor,’’ served as mayor of New York City from 1994 through 2001 when, on September 11, al-Qaeda terrorists crashed two passenger airliners into the Twin Towers as part of a larger terrorist attack on the United States. Giuliani’s leadership after the attack and his tough-on-crime policies in the 90s defined the mayor’s time leading New York City.

Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized After Vehicle ‘Struck From Behind At High Speed’

With Governor Kelly Ayotte’s signature on Tuesday, New Hampshire became the first state in the Northeast and the 17th state in the nation to enact universal school choice. New Hampshire joins Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming in empowering all parents statewide with a portion of their children’s education funding to select the K-12 education avenue of their choice.
Previously, New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account program, which began in 2021, was restricted to only families meeting a certain household income threshold. However, during this legislative session, the state House and the Senate took up separate bills to make all students eligible for the program. On March 13, <a href="https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2025&amp;id=67&amp;txtFormat=html">House Bill 115</a> passed the House by a vote of <a href="https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB115/2025">198-180</a>, and <a href="https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2025&amp;id=965&amp;txtFormat=html">Senate Bill 295</a> passed the Senate by a vote of <a href="https://legiscan.com/NH/votes/SB295/2025">16-8</a>.
After several more legislative steps, including moving through the House and Senate Finance Committees and adoption into the state’s budget, Senate Bill 295 successfully passed out of the legislature on June 5.
There was great confidence that Gov. Ayotte would deliver by signing the bill into law. In her Inaugural Address in January, she <a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-kelly-ayottes-inaugural-address">stated</a>: “As a mother, I understand that every child learns differently and that we should give each child the opportunity to be in the education setting that allows them to reach his or her full potential.”
The governor <a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-kelly-ayottes-inaugural-address">continued</a>: “Public Schools are critical, and I am the proud product of Nashua’s public schools, but they are not working for every child. I applaud the work the legislature has done to expand opportunities for families through education freedom accounts and look forward to strengthening and expanding this program to ensure more families have the freedom to put their children in the learning environment that is best for them.”
The Education Freedom Account funds can be used for private school tuition, tutoring, career and technical education, homeschooling curriculum, and other educational expenses. While the eligibility becomes universal, students from low-income households, students with disabilities, and students and their siblings currently enrolled in the Education Freedom Account program are prioritized.
For the current school year, approximately <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/education-freedom-account-program/">5,600</a> students participated, with an average award of <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/education-freedom-account-program/">$5,100 per student</a>. This is a mere fraction of the <a href="https://www.education.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt326/files/inline-documents/sonh/cost-per-pupil-fy2024-excluding-newfound.pdf">$26,320</a> that is spent to educate a public school student each year in New Hampshire.
While the funding is significantly less, there is greater accountability for how Education Freedom Account (EFA) funds are used. New Hampshire <a href="https://www.nhhousegop.com/press-releases/republicans-make-the-wildly-successful-education-freedom-accounts-universal/">State Representative Valerie McDonnell (R-Salem)</a> explains, “Every single EFA dollar is audited and publicly available. While local school budgets continue to grow and grow, the EFA program has saved the taxpayers over $266 million in the last five years. Expanding EFAs means more educational opportunities, greater accountability, and stronger outcomes for students.”
According to <a href="https://nhjournal.com/bedrick-finally-fulfilling-the-promise-of-public-education/?mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGa32t7I1dLF9OyZxlQsR4nlr3M0SnLmTqfsUK6Kp4YjIQ80fxyO5a4NtQ3VQo18r-FkHASXhC1lfqaA_NBTKI-8Rc-VWzPF4rj7Up6HibL-vTwFV8-Dw">Jason Bedrick</a>, New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account program “cost about $27 million last year, which is only about 0.7% of the nearly $4 billion spent on New Hampshire’s public schools.”
A new study from the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy <a href="https://jbartlett.org/2025/06/per-pupil-spending-in-nh-nearly-doubles-from-2001-2024-as-district-public-schools-spend-1-25-billion-more-on-54000-fewer-students/">found</a> that New Hampshire public school spending increased $1.25 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars between 2001 and 2024. That’s a staggering 45% despite student enrollment decreasing 26% over the same time period. The increase in spending, combined with the sharp decline in enrollment, resulted in a 96% increase in inflation-adjusted spending.
The nearly doubling of spending did not have a positive impact on student learning. Instead, student learning fell significantly. Student achievement results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam scores for reading and math <a href="https://jbartlett.org/2025/06/per-pupil-spending-in-nh-nearly-doubles-from-2001-2024-as-district-public-schools-spend-1-25-billion-more-on-54000-fewer-students/">dropped by 21 points</a>. New Hampshire’s student decline was three times that of the national average 7-point score decrease.
The lack of return on investment in the astronomically expensive and inefficient public school monopoly adds to the numerous compelling reasons to empower parents with school choice for their children.
While unfathomable just a few years ago, historic education freedom is becoming a reality, state by state and with great speed. New Hampshire is the sixth state in 2025 to enact universal school choice.
The template has been set for the remaining 33 states yet to grant all parents school choice for the thirteen most formative years of their children’s lives. Which state will be next?
* * *
<a href="https://www.discovery.org/p/ingraham/">Dr. Keri D. Ingraham</a> is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Group of school school kids running as they leave the school building

‘Live Free Or Die’ State Becomes First Universal School Choice State In The Northeast

Education

Opinion

Public Schools

School Choice

Self-described &#8220;working class&#8221; Democrat congressional hopeful Hanna Trudo was exposed after conservative podcast hosts discovered her Ferrari ownership and membership on a millionaire dating site.
Trudo, a former journalist for The Daily Beast, Politico, and The Hill, announced her potential congressional run for New Hampshire&#8217;s first district in early May, <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2025/05/05/trade-deal-done-00326237">claiming</a> that she grew up in a &#8220;working-class&#8221; family that received heating assistance.
&#8220;Like many families, we received heating assistance at times to get through our freezing winters. While my mom was not able to go to college or buy a home due to the high cost of living, she worked tirelessly as a public school Title 1 reading aide,&#8221; Trudo <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14717429/hanna-trudo-new-hampshire-congress-ruthless-podcast.html">wrote</a> in her campaign announcement, according to the Daily Mail.
The hosts of the conservative &#8220;Ruthless&#8221; podcast began investigating Trudo&#8217;s background after she initially offered to appear on their show, but then reportedly ghosted producers for several weeks.
Their <a href="https://youtu.be/Xg9OTcuYbWU?si=O8vPlLnmNjj-Y49y&amp;t=1855">investigation</a> uncovered a profile on Luxy, an exclusive dating website that requires users to have a &#8220;verified annual income&#8221; exceeding $200,000 and describes itself as a platform where &#8220;only sophisticated, successful and people of quality join.&#8221;
According to Luxy’s <a href="https://www.onluxy.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooVjVCVtawXcSGEs8w38DpBCssuc0XIFQsH59HEaCS03pUnFnFI">website</a>, “60% of our members have a verified annual income of more than €200,000,” or $223,000, and “41% verified income greater than €1 million,” or $1.1 million.
On the dating profile featuring her name and photo, Trudo described herself as a &#8220;senior political correspondent, splitting my time between DC (weekdays), NYC, &amp; Miami (for fun).&#8221;
The podcast team also discovered that Trudo had posted an image of a Ferrari on social media, offering it for sale.
Trudo responded to the Daily Mail article on X, writing: “Sorry gentlemen, I like fashion AND Medicare for All! $15 minimum wage.”
“You can try and shame me into not running for NH1 because you hate progressives, but not for being a fabulous woman.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sorry gentlemen, I like fashion AND Medicare for All! $15 minimum wage.
You can try and shame me into not running for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NH1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NH1</a> because you hate progressives, but not for being a fabulous woman
Live Free or Die <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhpolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nhpolitics</a> <a href="https://t.co/7NxPKLSEAB">https://t.co/7NxPKLSEAB</a>
— Hanna Trudo (@HCTrudo) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCTrudo/status/1923397715305631775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trudo initially announced her interest in running for Congress with messaging focused heavily on working-class advocacy.
&#8220;I&#8217;m simply writing with the same fire I&#8217;ve spit for the past decade: Democrats must be better,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-administration-nfl-draft-tariffs-immigration-doge-live-updates-rcna204587/rcrd78355?canonicalCard=true">wrote</a> in her campaign memo, per NBC News.
&#8220;Under Donald Trump’s off-brand of authoritarian politics, we are no longer free. Our First Amendment freedoms are being cruelly ripped away by Trump, Elon Musk and other obscenely rich, unelected tech lackeys who have contempt for us.&#8221;
She specifically cited Senator Bernie Sanders&#8217; (I-VT) failed presidential campaign as her inspiration to explore a run for office, <a href="https://x.com/HCTrudo/status/1915107197010272501">emphasizing</a> that &#8220;new blood matters alongside a working class agenda.&#8221;
Her announcement was met with amusement from conservative media outlets, who pointed to her candidacy as more evidence that many Washington, D.C., journalists harbor partisan Democratic leanings while claiming journalistic objectivity.
The Washington Free Beacon combed through Trudo’s tweets, revealing a “left-wing activist feed” convinced that America was &#8220;no longer free&#8221; under President Donald, in addition to less-than-objective headlines like “Sanders steps back into role as anti-oligarch crusader.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Hanna Trudo, a journalist who covered the Democratic Party for The Hill, is &#8220;exploring&#8221; a run for Congress in New Hampshire.
It seems redundant to mention that Trudo would be running as a Democrat, but there you have it.<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewStilesUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndrewStilesUSA</a> has reviewed Trudo’s social media… <a href="https://t.co/FPemlT9kKa">pic.twitter.com/FPemlT9kKa</a>
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) <a href="https://twitter.com/FreeBeacon/status/1919770960292429989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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New Hampshire&#8217;s first congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rep. Chris Pappas, who announced that he is running for Senate in 2026.

US dollars

Dem Congressional Hopeful’s ‘Working Class’ Persona Crumbles After Lavish Lifestyle Exposed

2026 Midterms

Bernie Sanders

Democratic Party

Media Bias

Top Senate Democrat Jeanne Shaheen announced on Wednesday that she will not seek reelection in 2026, creating a prime pickup opportunity for Republicans in New Hampshire&#8217;s historically swing-state Senate race.
Shaheen, 78, previously served three terms as governor of New Hampshire until being elected to the Senate in 2008. The senator serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
&#8220;It&#8217;s important for New Hampshire and the country to have a new generation of leadership,&#8221; said Shaheen.
She will have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/us/politics/jeanne-shaheen-new-hampshire-senate-2026.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare&amp;sgrp=p&amp;pvid=08E71C55-51B1-483B-B732-EC5068702A73">served</a> 30 years in elected office and spent 50 years in politics by the end of her term, per the New York Times.
New Hampshire voters have shown increasing Republican leanings in recent elections. While supporting Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, they simultaneously elected former Senator Kelly Ayotte as governor and expanded GOP majorities in the state legislature.
Her departure sets up what will likely be one of the most competitive Senate races in 2026, in a map that experts say already favors Republicans.
Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman of the Center for Politics <a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/our-initial-senate-ratings-republicans-start-as-strong-favorites-to-hold-majority/">wrote</a> in February, “Even if 2026 is an overall &#8216;blue wave&#8217; environment, expecting Democrats to win back the Senate sets the bar too high—the seats just are not there,” writing before Shaheen’s announcement.
Several prominent Republicans were already considering running for her seat before Shaheen&#8217;s announcement. Former GOP Governor Chris Sununu <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5189899-sununu-possible-senate-bid/">said</a> on Tuesday about a possible bid, &#8220;I have not ruled it out completely, but folks in Washington have asked me to think about it and to consider it, and that is just kind of where I am,&#8221; after previously dismissing speculations of a run.
Sununu <a href="https://www.politico.com/2022-election/results/new-hampshire/statewide-offices/">won</a> his 2022 gubernatorial race by more than 15 points in a Democratic wave year, leading many GOP strategists to point to him as the top candidate for 2026. Governor Ayotte and former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown are also reportedly considering entering the race.

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen Won’t Run In 2026, Opening Up Key Seat

Senate Democrats

U.S. Senate

After two high school boys from New Hampshire sued the state for not allowing them to compete in girls’ sports, then expanded the suit to include President Donald Trump’s executive orders banning boys from girls’ sports, two New Hampshire high school girls along with Females Athletes United filed a motion to join the defendants.
The two boys, Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, who identify as transgender, filed the lawsuit titled Tirrell v. Edelblut. Frank Edelblut serves as Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education.
Last week, a court allowed the plaintiffs to amend their complaint to add the Trump executive orders. On Friday, Female Athletes United, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, filed its <a href="https://adflegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tirrell-v-edelblut-2025-02-21-motion-to-intervene.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motion</a> to intervene. Counsel pointed out that the New Hampshire defendants had an interest in defending the state law to allow sex-designated sports teams for women, which affects only female teams in New Hampshire and says nothing about private spaces like female restrooms. The federal defendants would tailor their Title IX defense to align with the federal regulation implementing Title IX to athletics, but that regulation allows recipient schools to have separate male and female teams. It does not require schools to have sex-separate teams for girls.
The two female high school athletes <a href="https://nhjournal.com/game-on-two-nh-girls-forced-to-compete-against-males-want-to-join-lawsuit-over-state-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked to join</a> Female Athletes United in the federal lawsuit. One who had played against Parker in an indoor soccer league stated:
<blockquote>
In this league, I played against Parker on multiple occasions. Because I was scoring a lot, Parker was assigned to defend me, so we often came into physical contact with one another while playing. On several occasions, Parker knocked me down. It felt noticeably different than when I have run into a female when playing. Parker is sturdier, more muscular, and overall just built differently than a female. I was angry and upset that a male was playing against me and knocking me down. It felt inappropriate and unfair that something like this was happening and that no one in charge seemed to recognize what I and the other girls were going through in having to play against a male.
</blockquote>
The other girl noted her apprehension when she played against a high school team that included a male goalie. She said, “Although we won, it still felt like a violation of the rights of female athletes to have a sports team designated for girls. Especially, because as the male student is the starting goalie, that student was taking a place on the field that would otherwise have gone to a female athlete. If a male student joined my team, I would strongly consider no longer playing for my school. I think it is unsafe and unfair for a male to take a girl’s spot on the girls’ team.”
One possible problem for the defendants is that the presiding judge, United States District Court Judge Landya McCafferty, has already written that the two boys do not have any physical advantage over girls, declaring, “Neither Parker nor Iris have undergone male puberty. Neither of them will undergo male puberty. Both have received hormone therapy to induce female puberty, and both have developed physiological changes associated with female puberty. It is uncontested that there is no medical justification to preclude Parker and Iris from playing girls’ sports.”
Jonathan Scruggs of ADF stated, “Biological difference is the obvious matter, and that’s why we’ll win. &#8230; We’ve seen this kind of false narrative on this subject for some time. The fact is someone’s gender identification is not relevant to athletic performance, biology is.” He <a href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/female-athletes-seek-defend-trump-executive-orders-nh-womens-sports-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>, “President Trump’s executive orders and New Hampshire’s law merely recognize common sense and track Title IX, the federal law that ensures equal opportunities for women in athletics. While the rest of the world is returning to biological reality, activists continue to push gender ideology in schools and sports across the country. But female athletes have already suffered enough humiliation of losing to males in women’s sports and being told to stay silent. We are urging the court to consider their voices when deciding this vital case.”

President Trump Signs No Men In Women’s Sports Executive Order

2 High School Girls Ask To Join Suit To Defend Trump’s Orders For Girls’ Sports

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Transgender

Women's sports

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