Who is Jeanne Shaheen? 5 things to know about the NH senator

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Sen. Jeanne Shaheen says a fair impeachment trial includes documents and witnesses

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joins Ed Henry on 'America's Newsroom.'

Democratic incumbent Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is facing a challenge from Republican Corky Messner in New Hampshire's Senate race on Tuesday.

The Democrat from Madbury, N.H., – who’s running this year for a third term in the Senate – has become one of her party’s leading voices in the chamber on international affairs and national security, thanks to her service on both the Senate Foreign Relations (the only woman on the panel) and Armed Services committees.

Shaheen, who voted for the Affordable Care Act a decade ago, has long been a strong defender of ObamaCare. Many of her policy positions are in sync with Biden. And thanks to her six years as governor, she comes with executive experience. Shaheen's also well respected within the Democratic Party and she’s known for her ability to reach across party lines to seek common ground.

In her latest bipartisan effort, Shaheen's part of a group of both Democratic and GOP senators who crafted the relief programs for small businesses that were included in last month's massive $2 trillion stimulus for workers, small businesses and major companies devastated by the massive economic downturn caused by the coronavirus.

Here are five things to know about Shaheen:

Her committees and highlights

Besides the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, Shaheen also serves on the Appropriations and Small Business and Entrepreneurship committees as well as the Select Committee on Ethics. She’s the ranking member (most senior Democrat) on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies as well as the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation.

One of Shaheen's signature issues this past decade has been combating the opioid crisis. The senator's fought repeatedly for federal funding for treatment, recovery and the first responders on the front lines in the battle.

She also was a driving force behind the groundbreaking bill of rights for sexual assault survivors, which was signed into law by President Obama in 2016.

She’s a trailblazer

In 1996, then state senator Shaheen became the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire. In 2008, she became the first female elected to the U.S. Senate from the Granite State. And she was the first woman in American history to be elected both as a governor and as a senator.

Wide-ranging resume

Before running for elected office, Shaheen held a number of wide-ranging jobs. She served as a high school teacher in Mississippi as well as in Dover, N.H. And she was a small business owner, running a seasonal retail business in the seaside community of York, Maine.

Shaheen was also a campaign operative and strategist. Among the campaigns she worked on was Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential bid. Four years later, she ran Carter’s reelection primary campaign in the state. In 1984, she steered Gary Hart’s presidential campaign in New Hampshire, helping the then-senator from Colorado to an upset victory over former Vice President Walter Mondale, the eventual 1984 Democratic nominee.

All in the family

Shaheen’s husband, William – who’s known as Bill – has long been a leading attorney in his native state. And he served as a U.S. attorney for the District of New Hampshire. He also has an equally long track record in presidential politics. He chaired or co-chaired the primary campaigns in New Hampshire for Carter, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore and John Kerry. He was also a member of the steering committee for Obama.

Her real first name

While she has always gone by the name “Jeanne,” the senator’s first name is actually Cynthia. Jeanne is her middle name.