Margaret Wood Hassan ( HASS-ən; née Margaret Coldwell Wood; born February 27, 1958) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States senator for New Hampshire since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Hassan was the 81st governor of New Hampshire, from 2013 to 2017.
Born in Boston, Hassan graduated from Brown University and earned a J.D. from the Northeastern University School of Law. After graduating from law school in 1985, she worked at the law firm Palmer & Dodge. She later worked as associate general counsel for Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Hassan first ran for the New Hampshire Senate in 2002, losing to incumbent Russell Prescott. She ran again in 2004 and won. She served in the New Hampshire Senate from 2005 to 2010. She became the state senate majority leader in 2008 before losing reelection in a 2010 rematch with Prescott.
Hassan ran for governor in 2012, defeating former state senator Jacalyn Cilley in the Democratic primary and Republican nominee Ovide M. Lamontagne in the general election. She was reelected in 2014. After becoming governor, Hassan was elected vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association and served as a superdelegate at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
In 2016, Hassan ran for the U.S. Senate and narrowly defeated Kelly Ayotte, the Republican incumbent, by about 1,000 votes, or 0.1%. She was reelected in 2022. She serves with Jeanne Shaheen, another former governor. Hassan, Shaheen, and Ayotte are the only women in U.S. history to be elected both governor and U.S. senator. Hassan is expected to become New Hampshire's senior senator and the dean of the state's congressional delegation upon Shaheen's retirement in 2027.
Margaret Wood was born in Boston on February 27, 1958, and grew up in the Boston suburb of Lincoln, where she sang in school choirs and at church. Her parents were both involved in politics. Her father, Robert Coldwell Wood, was a political scientist who helped found the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Her mother was head of their local chapter of the League of Women Voters. She described family dinners as discussions where her father in turn asked everyone at the table, including her and any guests, to comment. She has two siblings, including Tony Award-winning actor Frank Wood.
Hassan attended Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts, graduating in 1976. In 1980 she graduated from Brown University with a bachelor's degree. She worked as an information officer with the Massachusetts Department of Social Services from 1980 to 1982. From 1985 to 1992, she worked at the Boston law firm Palmer & Dodge. She graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 1985 with a juris doctor and worked as an attorney from 1985 to 1992. She worked as assistant general counsel at Brigham and Women's Hospital from 1993 to 1996. She then returned to work as an attorney from 1996 to 2009. From 1993 to 1996, Hassan was associate general counsel for Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Hassan became a disability rights activist when her son with cerebral palsy began school and she sought accommodations for him. This led Governor Jeanne Shaheen to appoint Hassan citizen advisor for the Adequacy in Education and Finance Commission in 1999.
In the 2002 election, Democratic leadership asked Hassan to run to represent New Hampshire's 23rd State Senate District, which includes East Kingston, Exeter, Kensington, Kingston, Newfields, Newmarket, Newton, Seabrook, South Hampton and Stratham. She believed her job and family meant she would not have time to hold political office, but she ran after her husband's encouragement. She lost to incumbent Republican Russell Prescott, 54% to 46%, but ran again in 2004 and defeated Prescott in a rematch, 52% to 48%. In 2006, she was reelected against Natalie Healy, 60% to 40%. In 2008, she defeated Lee Quandt, 57% to 43%.
Hassan held leadership positions in the New Hampshire Senate, including assistant Democratic whip and president pro tempore. She also chaired the Capital Budget and Public Municipal Affairs Committees. She helped pass the FY2008-09 budget.
In 2008, Senate President Sylvia Larsen chose Hassan to serve as Senate Majority Leader, the number two position in the New Hampshire Senate. Larsen said she chose Hassan because she wanted someone who would fight to get the Democratic caucus to support the same agenda, at times creating friction between Hassan and her Republican colleagues. She was majority leader from 2008 to 2010.
Hassan supported Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries.
In 2010, Hassan proposed a healthcare regulation system called "Maggie Care" by her opponents in reference to the Affordable Care Act's nickname "Obamacare". Her proposed commission was created, but she was unable to grant it the power to limit rates.
Hassan helped pass the FY2010-11 budget. This budget increased spending by over $1 billion and contained 33 tax and fee increases, including on campsites and hotel rooms, New Hampshire businesses, and vehicle registration fees.
Hassan served in the New Hampshire Senate for six years. She lost to Prescott in the 2010 election, 53% to 47%. This was one of many losses for Democrats across the country in a year where Republicans performed exceptionally well. The New Hampshire Republican Party gained control of both the state House and state Senate.
New Hampshire Senate committee assignments
Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection
Public and Municipal Affairs (Chair)