Businessman Walter McFarlane’s bold Senate bid in New Hampshire is shaking up the 2026 race.
Gatekeepers in the US Senate thought they had everything mapped out for one 2026 seat.
They thought they knew exactly who would be running and how the race would unfold.
But one businessman just made a vow that has the career politicians scrambling.
The Manchester businessman who’s changing everything
Walter McFarlane is taking steps toward a campaign for the United States Senate in New Hampshire, and his entry into the race is turning heads across the Granite State.
In an interview for "CloseUp," he said his top issue would be reining-in federal spending, putting him squarely in line with President Trump’s America First agenda.
The Manchester Republican has a business background that sets him apart from the typical political class.
"We’ve lost all sense of our fiscal control, right? We have $37 trillion in debt. We have this ‘big, beautiful bill’ we’re talking about, but we’re not talking enough about the fact that we’re having our kids and grandkids pay for our current lifestyle," McFarlane said.
His message is resonating with voters who are sick and tired of politicians in Washington, D.C. who spend taxpayer money like it’s Monopoly money.
McFarlane isn’t just another politician looking to climb the ladder – he’s a businessman who understands what it’s like to balance a budget and make payroll.
Walter has spent a 25-year business career, primarily as a Chief Financial Officer, specializing in turning around distressed companies. He has created hundreds of jobs through consulting, due diligence work, and board service. Walter has experience across various industries, including manufacturing, construction, social media, and professional sports.
The perfect storm for an outsider victory
The timing couldn’t be better for someone like McFarlane to shake up the political establishment.
For the last two months, Pappas has had the U.S. Senate campaign trail to himself.
While Chris Pappas, the Democrat congressman, has been campaigning unopposed, Republicans have been waiting for a clear frontrunner to emerge.
Some Republicans may feel that former Sen. Scott Brown gives them the best chance to win in 2026.
But Brown comes with serious baggage as a Massachusetts carpetbagger who already lost to the Democrats once before in New Hampshire.
In 2014, Brown narrowly lost to former Senator Jeanne Shaheen in a New Hampshire U.S. Senate race characterized by claims that he was a ‘carpetbagger’ because he had moved to the state shortly before running for the seat.
McFarlane represents a fresh alternative to the recycled politicians that voters are tired of seeing.
"We need to take a different approach. We need a candidate like me who says, ‘Look, I have some deeply held convictions, but I also know that I represent everyone in the state, not just people that agree with me, not just as people that have the same letter after their name, but everybody, and make sure that we’re doing a better job reaching independents and undeclared voters,’" McFarlane said.
This is exactly the kind of common-sense approach that can win over the independent voters who decide elections in New Hampshire.
Chris Pappas knows he’s in trouble
The fact that Chris Pappas has been running unopposed for months tells you everything you need to know about how weak the Republican field has been.
Chris Pappas, a Democrat who has represented New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since winning election in 2018, announced in April that he’s running for U.S. Senate in 2026.
Pappas is trying to position himself as a moderate, but his voting record tells a different story.
"Chris Pappas supports biological males competing in women’s sports, wants to ban gas-powered vehicles, and voted to raise taxes on hard-working Granite Staters," Nick Puglia, a regional press secretary for the NRSC, said in a statement.
This is the same Chris Pappas who has been rubber-stamping the radical Democrat agenda in Washington, D.C.
When asked if he was surprised no other major Republican has entered the race, Pappas said, "Well, that’ll come soon enough. They’re going to make this state a priority as they seek to expand their Senate majority. What I’ll say is that I meet few people that like what they see happening in Washington and want them to continue to move in that direction. We need basic checks and balances."
Pappas knows that once a strong Republican challenger emerges, his comfortable lead will evaporate faster than morning dew.
The business experience voters are craving
What makes McFarlane different from the typical politician is his real-world experience in the private sector.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University and an MBA from Canisius College. His career experience includes working as a chief financial officer at multiple companies.
Over the last 25 years, he has worked in a variety of food and beverage production companies across New Hampshire such as JacPac and other parts of the country as well. He believes both his inexperience as a politician and his experience as a businessman will help him present himself as a fresh perspective for New Hampshire voters.
"With what we’re seeing right now with inflation, I am the right person for the job," McFarlane explained. "We need someone with a business person mentality to make the government live within its budget."
This is the kind of outsider message that helped President Trump win the White House twice.
Americans are tired of career politicians who have never had to make a payroll or worry about going out of business.
"I’m running because I still do believe that America is that "shining city on a hill", with her best days still ahead of her. I’m running because I believe that the American spirit is as strong as ever and that, at our core, we are united, despite the noise on the extremes."
A primary fight that could get interesting
"I think it’s healthy to have a primary process. I think it’s healthy for people like me, if I get into it, people like Scott Brown, if he gets into it, to have these debates and talk about it. So the people of the Granite State get to decide who represents them. So, Scott’s a good guy, but I think it’s premature on our side to say anyone’s the frontrunner."
McFarlane is showing the kind of confident leadership that Republicans need to take back this Senate seat.
He’s not intimidated by the possibility of facing off against Scott Brown or any other establishment favorite.
The 2024 congressional race showed that McFarlane knows how to run a campaign, even if he didn’t win that particular contest.
Walter McFarlane III (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on September 10, 2024.
But sometimes losing a race is the best preparation for winning the next one.
McFarlane learned valuable lessons about campaigning in New Hampshire and built a network of supporters who believe in his message.
"I didn’t get into the race to do anything other than win this," McFarlane said. "That poll with 59 percent undecided speaks to what I was seeing when I made the decision to get into the race."
That kind of confidence and determination is exactly what Republicans need to defeat Chris Pappas and his radical agenda.
The 2026 Senate race in New Hampshire is shaping up to be one of the most important battles in the country.
With President Trump back in the White House and a Republican majority in the Senate, adding another conservative voice from New Hampshire could help secure the America First agenda for years to come.
Walter McFarlane may be the dark horse candidate that nobody saw coming, but he could be exactly what New Hampshire Republicans need to win this crucial Senate seat.
