New Hampshire Rep. Paul Hodes Announces His Bid For Judd Gregg’s Senate Seat, The Positioning Begins

 In today’s political world the candidates are running a perpetual re-election campaign and this is no more evident than the fact that as soon as Judd Gregg was appointed as the Commerce Secretary the political maneuvering began.

 New Hampshire Rep. Paul Hodes has made it no secret that he wants Judd Gregg’s seat, he has been planning a run for it since he was re-elected just a few short months ago.

 As soon as Gregg gave up his seat Paul Hodes made his move. He was afraid that New Hampshire’s other moonbat Rep, Carol Shea-Porter, might be interested in the seat so he made a pre-emptive strike. He jumped into the race before the race began hoping that this would dissuade her from running.

 My belief has always been that Governor John Lynch would run for this seat in 2010, but he said last week, before Gregg’s nomination, that he wasn’t interested in running against Gregg. I still think that he may run. I also think that Paul Hodes feels Governor Lynch might have been reconsidering running for the senate now that the seat will be open in 2010, so Hodes made his move hoping to also dissuade Lynch from running. If John Lynch runs for the senate in 2010 the seat will be his. It will be almost impossible to beat him.

 Paul Hodes is hoping by announcing his candidacy first that in the interest of party unity both Carol Shea-Porter and Governor Lynch will decide not to run if they were indeed entertaining the notion.

 On the Republican side there are a few possibilities. Former senator John Sununu is currently the parties favorite son and the man the party wants to run. Having just lost his seat in November it isn’t clear whether he is interested in running but his father, and former governor, now heads the NHGOP and I am sure John Sununu could be persuaded to run.

 According to this article some other candidates include the following:

Attorney and GOP strategist Tom Rath, who will only run if John Sununu doesn’t.

 And:

Friends of former Gov. Steve Merrill and former two-time congressional candidate John Stephen are getting calls from people trying to recruit them. BAE Systems executive Rich Ashooh is being mentioned as a potential senator or congressman.

Others continue to long for Attorney General Kelly Ayotte to get into politics.

Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta is getting calls and requests to speak around the state. He has a decision to make soon. Will he run for reelection as mayor?

as a potential senator or congressman.

Others continue to long for Attorney General Kelly Ayotte to get into politics.

Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta is getting calls and requests to speak around the state. He has a decision to make soon. Will he run for reelection as mayor?

Former Rep. Charlie Bass is back and very seriously considering running for the Senate, House or maybe even governor.

  All in all 2010 looks to be shaping up like a very interesting year in New Hampshire. I have written here before that I thought New Hampshire would go through one more Democrat dominated election in 2008 and I thought that the tide would begin to turn in 2010 back towards the Republicans. We will soon see as 2010 will be here before you know it.

 It is still very early but it is already getting interesting.