The 2020 New Hampshire Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2020 United States elections. New Hampshire voters elected state senators in all of the state's 24 senate districts. State senators serve two-year terms in the New Hampshire Senate, with all of the seats up for election each cycle. The primary elections on September 8, 2020, determined which candidates will appear on the November 3, 2020, general election ballot.
Following the 2018 election, Democrats had control of the New Hampshire Senate with 14 seats to Republicans' 10 seats. Following the 2020 election, the Republicans flipped four seats and thus control of the chamber alongside flipping the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Composition AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalDemocraticRepublicanVacantBefore election 14 10 24 0After election 10 14 240
Summary DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator Party 1st David Starr Rep Erin Hennessey Rep 2nd Bob Giuda Rep Bob Giuda Rep 3rd Jeb Bradley Rep Jeb Bradley Rep 4th David H. Watters Dem David H. Watters Dem 5th Martha Hennessey Dem Suzanne Prentiss Dem 6th James P. Gray Rep James P. Gray Rep 7th Harold F. French Rep Harold F. French Rep 8th Ruth Ward Rep Ruth Ward Rep 9th Jeanne Dietsch DemDenice Ricciardi Rep 10th Jay Kahn Dem Jay Kahn Dem 11th Shannon Chandley DemGary Daniels Rep 12th Melanie Levesque Dem Kevin Avard Rep 13th Cindy Rosenwald Dem Cindy Rosenwald Dem 14th Sharon Carson Rep Sharon Carson Rep 15th Dan Feltes Dem Becky Whitley Dem 16th Kevin Cavanaugh Dem Kevin Cavanaugh Dem 17th John Reagan Rep John Reagan Rep 18th Donna Soucy Dem Donna Soucy Dem 19th Regina Birdsell Rep Regina Birdsell Rep 20th Lou D'Allesandro Dem Lou D'Allesandro Dem 21st Martha Fuller Clark Dem Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Dem 22nd Chuck Morse Rep Chuck Morse Rep 23rd Jon Morgan Dem Bill Gannon Rep 24th Tom Sherman Dem Tom Sherman Dem
Close races District Winner Margin District 2 Republican 11.66% District 1 Republican 14.6% District 6 Republican 15.52% District 7 Republican 15.94% District 8 Republican 11.14% District 9 Republican (flip) 1.16% District 11 Republican (flip) 0.46% District 12 Republican (flip) 2.24% District 13 Democratic 17.15% District 14 Republican 17.74% District 16 Democratic 3.56% District 18 Democratic 11.8% District 19 Republican 15.08% District 20 Democratic 12.78% District 23 Republican (flip) 6.72% District 24 Democratic 4.7%
Outgoing incumbents Retiring Martha Hennessey (D–Hanover), representing District 5 since 2016, announced in May 2020 that she would be retiring at the end of her term to spend more time with her family. Martha Fuller Clark (D–Portsmouth), representing District 21 since 2012 (and 2004–2010), announced in May 2020 that she would be retiring from the legislature.
Seeking another office Dan Feltes (D–Concord), representing District 15 since 2014, is not seeking reelection to the Senate in order to run for governor of New Hampshire. Feltes won the primary and faced incumbent Chris Sununu in the general election.
Defeated in primary David Starr (R–Franconia), representing District 1 since 2018, was defeated in the Republican primary by New Hampshire House of Representatives member Erin Hennessey.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportOctober 21, 2020
Detailed results District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 __NOTOC__
District 1 Candidates Republican Erin Hennessey, incumbent state representative for Grafton District 4 since 2014 David Starr, incumbent state senator since 2018
Democratic Susan Ford, incumbent state representative for Grafton District 3 since 2018
Results Republican primary
General election
District 2 Candidates Republican David DeVoy, U.S. Army veteran and gas station owner Bob Giuda, incumbent state senator since 2016, former state representative for Grafton District 4 and District 5 2000–2006
Democratic Bill Bolton, retired state employee and Plymouth Select Board Chair
Results Republican primary
General election
District 3 Candidates Republican Jeb Bradley, incumbent state senator since 2009, former Majority Leader (2010–2018), former U.S. Representative from (2003–2007) Democratic Theresa Swanick, Effingham elected official and candidate for state representative in Carroll District 5 in 2016 and 2018
Results
District 4 Candidates Democratic David H. Watters, incumbent state senator since 2012 Republican Frank Bertone, former Libertarian candidate for state representative Strafford District 4 in 2018
Results
District 5 Candidates Democratic Beatriz Pastor, former state representative for Grafton District 12 (2008–2014) Suzanne Prentiss, former Lebanon Mayor, current Lebanon councilwoman and paramedic Republican Timothy O'Hearne
Results Democratic primary
General election
District 6 Candidates Republican James Gray, incumbent state senator since 2016 Democratic Christopher Rice, Rochester councilman
Results
District 7 Candidates Republican Harold F. French, incumbent state senator since 2016 Democratic Philip Spagnuolo Jr., former state representative for Belknap District 3 (February–December 2018)
Results
District 8 Candidates Republican Ruth Ward, incumbent state senator since 2016 Democratic Jenn Alford-Teaster, researcher and candidate for District 8 in 2018
Results
District 9 Candidates Democratic Jeanne Dietsch, incumbent state senator since 2018 Republican Denise Ricciardi, Bedford councilwoman
Results
District 10 Candidates Democratic Jay Kahn, incumbent state senator since 2016 Republican Dan LeClair, businessman and candidate for District 10 in 2018.
Results
District 11 Candidates Democratic Shannon Chandley, incumbent state senator since 2018 Republican Gary Daniels, former state senator from District 11 (2014–2018)
Results
District 12 Candidates Democratic Melanie Levesque, incumbent state senator since 2018 Republican Kevin Avard, former state senator from District 12 (2014–2018)
Results
District 13 Candidates Democratic Cindy Rosenwald, incumbent state senator since 2018 Republican Mariellen MacKay, former Democratic state representative for Hillsborough District 30 (2012–2018), Republican candidate for Hillsborough District 30 in 2018
Results
District 14 Candidates Republican Sharon Carson, incumbent state senator since 2008, former president pro tempore of the New Hampshire Senate (2014–2018) Democratic Nancy Hendricks, former Londonderry School Board chair
Results
District 15 Candidates Democratic Candace Bouchard, former Concord councilwoman and former state representative for Merrimack District 18 (1998–2014) Paul Hodes, former U.S. representative for (2007–2011) Becky Whitley, lawyer and activist
Republican Linda Rae Banfill, candidate for Concord mayor in 2019
Results Democratic primary
General election
District 16 Candidates Democratic Kevin Cavanaugh, incumbent state senator since 2017 Republican Jason Syversen, businessman
Results
District 17 Candidates Republican Janet DelFuoco, witch John Reagan, incumbent state senator since 2012
Democratic Nancy Fraher, state senate candidate for District 17 in 2014 and 2016
Results Republican primary
General election
District 18 Candidates Democratic Donna Soucy, incumbent state senator since 2012, incumbent Senate President since December 2018 Republican George Lambert, former state representative for Hillsborough District 44 (2010–2014), former candidate for Governor (2014), candidate for District 18 in 2018 Ross Terrio, former Manchester School Board member (2013–2020), former state representative for Hillsborough District 14 (2010–2012)
Results Republican primary
General election
District 19 Candidates Republican Regina Birdsell, incumbent state senator since 2014 Democratic Joshua Bourdon, Derry councilman
Results
District 20 Candidates Democratic Lou D'Allesandro, incumbent state senator since 1998 Republican Carla Gericke, candidate for District 20 in 2016 and 2018 Jack Kenny
Results Republican primary
General election
District 21 Candidates Democratic Deaglan McEachern, Portsmouth councilman Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, Portsmouth councilwoman Republican Sue Polidura, historian
Results Democratic primary
General election
District 22 Candidates Republican Chuck Morse, incumbent state senator since 2010 (and also 2002–2006) and former Senate President (2013–2018); Minority leader since 2018
Democratic Thomas Haynes, retired
Results
District 23 Candidates Democratic Jon Morgan, incumbent state senator since 2018 Republican Allen Cook, former state representative for Rockingham District 11 (2014–2018) Bill Gannon, former state senator for District 23 (2016–2018)
Results Republican primary
General election
District 24 Candidates Democratic Tom Sherman, incumbent state senator since 2018 Republican Regina Barnes, Hampton Board of Selectmen member Louis Gargiulo, 2016 Republican National Convention delegate from New Hampshire
Results Republican primary
General election
See also 2020 New Hampshire elections 2020 United States elections New Hampshire Senate Elections in New Hampshire List of New Hampshire General Courts
References
External links
(state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)