On this special edition of the New Hampshire Journal podcast, the news just broke that U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen will not seek a fourth term, the third swing-state Senate Democrat to decide to bail before 2026.

What does that mean for New Hampshire? We ask veteran GOP strategist Jim Merrill for his insights into the Granite State's 2026 election cycle without Shaheen at the top of the ticket.

What does it mean for D.C. Democrats and their hopes of winning back control of the upper chamber? Dave Weigel of Semafor reports from Washington on reactions at the national level.

This special edition of the podcast is made possible by Perfect Smiles of Nashua.

Want to support independent journalism in New Hampshire? Click here!

An article quoting Sam Evans-Brown of Clean Energy NH led to a tweet by host Michael Graham which led to a minor kerfuffle which resulted in a terrific conversation about New Hampshire, EVs, and the real numbers on energy in New England.

Another tweet, from Democratic operative Lucas Meyer, claims New Hampshire Republicans are plotting an "income tax." (Spoiler alert: No.)

Plenty of green energy policy and rank punditry in this edition of the NHJournal podcast, made possible by Dr. Bruce Houghton at Perfect Smiles of Nashua and (as the saying goes) "people like you."

Jamie Reed describes herself as a "queer woman who's politically to the left of Bernie Sanders." For years, she worked at The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital -- until she became a whistleblower.

What Reed saw violates the "first, do no harm" tenets of health care. "Instead, we are permanently harming the vulnerable patients in our care," she says.

Reed is now executive director of the LGBT Courage Coalition. She's heading to New Hampshire to testify on behalf of legislation banning puberty blockers and permanent sex change surgeries for children. She talks to NHJournal about the latest medical research on the gender issue, and she answers a question that has even stumped a U.S. Supreme Court nominee:

"What is a woman?"

Hosted by NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham.

Sponsored by Perfect Smiles of Nashua.

Want to support NHJournal? Please click here to "subscribe" for $4.99/month and help us continue to provide independent journalism in the Granite State.