Former Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen has confirmed a report published last night on the Union-Leader's website that she plans to seek a rematch with first-term GOP Sen. John Sununu. Her announcement puts another Republican-held Senate seat into the Toss Up column.
Sununu and Shaheen faced off in 2002 for what became an open seat after Sununu defeated incumbent Sen. Bob Smith in the primary. The general election was short but bitter, with Sununu scoring a 51-percent to 47-percent victory.
Before Shaheen can take on Sununu, she must dispatch with three primary opponents: Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand, Katrina Swett, who made an unsuccessful bid for the 2 nd congressional district in 2002 and is married to former Rep. Dick Swett, and Jay Buckey, a Dartmouth Medical School professor and former astronaut. Marchand had said that he would exit the race if Shaheen jumped in, but has been hedging on that promise more recently. He is slated to make an announcement about his plans late this afternoon. Buckey has indicated that he would run regardless of Shaheen's plans and Swett has not
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