And the elder Sununu, a former governor, added that he expects the GOP field to clear for his progeny.
"I will use my warmth and my charm to make sure that if it is a primary, there is a constructive primary or if a primary can be avoided, I will do that," Sununu said. When asked if he would prefer to avoid a primary between his son and Republican state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, he responded: "I think if my son runs, there will not be a primary."
Ayotte is rumored to be considering a bid for the seat, which Republican Sen. Judd Gregg is leaving open to retire. Ayotte is a statewide figure but was appointed to her position and has not been tested in a campaign. Her supporters note she has served under both Republican Gov. Craig Benson and current Democratic Gov. John Lynch, a possible sign of her bipartisan appeal.
John E. Sununu was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002 but lost his re-election bid last fall to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen.
In the 2010 race, another Republican, businessman Fred Tausch, has been airing television and radio ads in the state. The commercials are related to the grassroots organization he founded, STEWARD of Prosperty, which aims to hold politicians accountable to taxpayers. Tausch has indicated he is considering a bid but is not an official candidate.
Democrats have coalesced behind Democratic Rep. Paul W. Hodes of the 2nd District as their 2010 Senate candidate.
CQ Politics rates the race a Tossup.
To see how the 2010 Senate races are shaping up, check out the CQ Politics' election map.
![[RSS]](http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/templates/images/rss_icon.gif){kind=icon}
Subscribe to RSS feed![[ARCHIVES]](http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/templates/images/archives_icon.png){kind=icon}
Archives
Comments
It's only fitting that Sununu II's intentions be telegraphed by his father - if the son had a different name, he never would have gotten to the Senate in the first place. Too bad his father didn't have the chance to pull a Murkowski while Governor and not even have to bother with an election to make his son a US Senator.
Posted by: billp
| June 27, 2009 5:44 PM
Hey billp, I'll bet you didn't bitch a whole lot when "the now Wicked Witch from Westchester" moved to NY to win a senate seat. You think that would have happened if she was just Hillary Rodham, having never married BC? Or any of the Kennedy offspring for that matter.
Posted by: NObama
| June 27, 2009 6:31 PM
NObama,
I agree that HRC and the Kennedys only got elected because of their names, also. As did Romney, Bush, Murkowski, Jesse Jackson Jr., the Udalls, etc. All are disturbing examples of nepotism in American politics. Sununu II is no different, though I do find it amusing that his father is making the announcements for him - that's more blatant than most.
Posted by: billp
| June 28, 2009 12:35 PM
Forgot to mention the Bidens and Chafees as further examples of political nepotism. The list is long.
Posted by: billp
| June 28, 2009 12:48 PM
Post A Comment