NASHUA, N.H. — The New Hampshire Democratic Party’s 2026 McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner was held Saturday at the Sheraton Nashua. The event did double duty as both a fundraising vehicle for Democrats on the ballot statewide and a tribute to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is retiring and not seeking re-election.
Party chair Ray Buckley and a lineup of speakers framed Shaheen’s career — stretching back to her 1996 gubernatorial win — as foundational for building a durable Democratic organization in New Hampshire, crediting her with much of the party’s modern success in the state.
“Jeanne Shaheen has basically influenced every election since she’s been involved in public service, and she’s certainly influenced mine. As you know, Jeanne, you’re only as good in your campaign, or in government — and this applies to business as well — as the team you have around you. You’re only as good as the team,” former Gov. John Lynch said. “I was fortunate that I inherited Jeanne Shaheen’s team. And I never, because I had no idea what I was doing, I never would have been elected governor of the state of New Hampshire without your team. So, thanks, Jeanne.”
Sen. Maggie Hassan credited Shaheen for her career in politics. Their first encounter was when Shaheen was governor and Hassan was testifying about the needs of families like hers with disabled members with care needs. “I don’t know what she saw in me,” Hassan said, but Shaheen recruited her into electoral politics, with Hassan following her into the governor’s office and now the U.S. Senate.
Hassan paid tribute to her by saying, “Jeanne Shaheen has always believed that leading is about listening and learning and engaging with people who disagree with you. All of which I know would be novel concepts to our current president. Jeanne believes that the best politics and policies reflect how people feel and live their lives on the ground. She understands that every great cause in our country’s history advanced by listening.”
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton returned to the Granite State for the first time in many years as the keynote speaker for the event. She personally thanked Sen. Shaheen for advice, support and friendship during both her and Bill Clinton’s campaigns in the state.
Clinton encouraged young women to look to Shaheen as a role model for public service, praising her persistence and effectiveness, and framed New Hampshire as a place where she has learned “what really matters” from voters over the years.
Clinton also commented on national politics. She argued that Democrats should prosecute the case against former President Donald Trump’s record even if he is not personally on the ballot in 2026. She criticized his foreign policy, including “rolling the dice with Iran, with no plan, and losing,” and encouraged Democrats to connect local races to broader questions of democracy, security and rights.
The McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner is the modern name for New Hampshire Democrats’ long-running “100 Club Dinner,” first held in 1959. It has been staged annually, with occasional off-years and rebrands, for roughly six decades, making the 2026 event part of a tradition now in its 60-plus years.
