The 2026 primary contests will soon be over. Last week in New Hampshire, two members of that state’s storied political families won their races. What do Americans think about these political dynasties, and how are they faring in other states this fall?
Stefany Shaheen, daughter of the retiring senator and former governor Jeanne Shaheen, narrowly won her bid for the Democratic nomination for a New Hampshire congressional seat in the hotly contested primary, where her main opponent referred to her “fancy last name.” John E. Sununu is the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and the brother of former Gov. Chris Sununu. John E. won the nod to be the GOP standard-bearer for the U.S. Senate. He faced Shaheen’s mother before, beating her for the Senate seat in 2002. Then she beat him in 2008. For both the Sununus and the Shaheens, politics is a family business.
