I am comflicted by this and not because I want Brown

[zeitgeist]

I confess I always liked Bob Smith
And I think Shaheen is beatable
I was very disappointed when he left the Senate.

Fmr U.S. Sen. Bob Smith changes mind, will challenge Shaheen

Published  11:29 AM EST Dec 01, 2013
MANCHESTER, N.H. —Former New Hampshire Republican senator Bob Smith said he has changed his mind and will try to defeat Democratic incumbent Jeanne Shaheen for his old seat next year.

Smith told WMUR Political Scoop on Sunday that he had made a decision not to run largely to get out of the way for other candidates, but as weeks came and went no major candidates got into the race, and he kept getting encouragement to run.

"I have a decision to run again for the Senate," said Smith. "This is nothing personally against Jeanne Shaheen, who I like as a person, but I couldn't disagree more with her politics."

He said he will file paperwork to form his campaign committee in the next few days, and move full-time to New Hampshire and formally launch his campaign in January. Currently he is a Florida resident, but spends his summers at his home in Tuftonboro.

Smith is the third Republican to announce a bid to run against Shaheen. Former state Sen. Jim Rubens, R-Hanover, and conservative activist Karen Testerman, R-Franklin, are already in the race, but Republicans fear they might be weak challengers and have been looking for someone else.

For the past month that "someone else" had been former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who appeared to be making moves to enter the race. He is selling his Bar State home to live in New Hampshire full time. In a smaller move, he even changed his Twitter handle to no longer have "MA" in it.

Brown's official entry into the race could complicate matters for Brown, if he we were seriously thinking about running. In a low turnout primary of base voters, logically Smith would have an advantage with this conservative voters over a moderate like Brown.

Hurt worse in this move is Testerman, who was counting on the state's conservative grassroots to propel her to the nomination. It is hard, for now, to see what her argument would be against Smith, or how she will be able to raise enough money to be competitive.

Originally Smith told WMUR in July that he was considering a bid for Shaheen seat, but in October said he wouldn't run.


Read more: http://www.wmur.com/political-scoop/fmr-us-sen-bob-smith-changes-mind-will-challenge-shaheen/-/16254890/23231770/-/brr43f/-/index.html#ixzz2mGf07LG5

[NHSparky]

While I agree that Queen Jeanne needs to go, I'm not sure he's the guy.  You know the Dems are going to pile on his inconsistency (I won't run, I will, etc.,) and no doubt try to paint him as some sort of extremist (ha!) but truth be told, Shaheen knows she's stepped in it big-time with her record, and it WILL come back to haunt her.

It just saddens me the NH GOP has such a shallow bench.  I'm not even sure how that UNH professor would measure up against Che-Pelosi in NH-1.

[zeitgeist]

While I agree that Queen Jeanne needs to go, I'm not sure he's the guy.  You know the Dems are going to pile on his inconsistency (I won't run, I will, etc.,) and no doubt try to paint him as some sort of extremist (ha!) but truth be told, Shaheen knows she's stepped in it big-time with her record, and it WILL come back to haunt her.

It just saddens me the NH GOP has such a shallow bench.  I'm not even sure how that UNH professor would measure up against Che-Pelosi in NH-1.

I am not a Ruben fan.  Here is the best alternative. 

http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/8912029-95/nh-republican-activist-karen-testerman-to-run-for-us-senate-in-2014