New Hampshire Senate 2008: Shaheen Leaning Towards Run

[Adlai Stevenson]

Former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) and her husband "are telling supporters that she there is about a 70 percent chance that she will run for Senate against Sen. John Sununu (R)," according to the Evans-Novak Political Report. "There is no need for her to move too quickly, since the state is currently consumed with presidential politics, and she already has universal name recognition there."

"However, her delay appears to be affecting the primary that will be run if she does not get into the race. Katrina Swett, wife of former Rep. Dick Swett (D), is running away with the fundraising race against Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand (D). Marchand’s problem is that the Democratic political crowd in his Seacoast base is extremely gun-shy and wants to keep the powder dry until they know what Shaheen does first. Shaheen, who narrowly lost to Sununu in 2002, is by far the best candidate the Democrats could put up against him in 2008. She trounces Sununu in early polls, whereas he narrowly leads the other two potential candidates."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/08/01/shaheen_leaning_towards_run.html

[Adlai Stevenson]

Reid Wilson writes that Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) has three major obstacles to overcome if he is to hold on to his seat: 1) a Republican in ever-darkening-to- blue New Hampshire; 2) uber-popular NH Gov. John Lynch remains strong with a 76% approval rating and will be on the same ballot as Sununu, and will presumably help drive out the vote for whoever the Dems choose to run against the first-term Senator; and 3) former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, whom Sununu narrowly beat in 2002, is already the frontrunner in polls before she has even announced if she is a candidate.

Also, New Hampshire political scientist Dante Scala notes that enrollment in the state Democratic party has skyrocketed in recent years and the state GOP lags behind. Five years ago, the GOP boasted a lead of 77,000 people over the Dems. Today, it is half that.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/08/06/sununu_republicans_in_trouble_in_new_hampshire.html

[Adlai Stevenson]

Some New Hampshire Democrats are upset over a DSCC e-mail "that touts the possible Senate candidacy of Jeanne Shaheen without mentioning any of the three Democrats" currently in the race, according to the Concord Monitor. The former governor and current director of Harvard's Institute of Politics has yet to decide if she will run.

The e-mail even steers its readers to a Draft Shaheen website founded by former Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sullivan.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/08/15/dscc_touts_possible_shaheen_candidacy.html

[Adlai Stevenson]

Professor and former astronaut Jay Buckley is the third Democratic candidate.