Although only one major candidate -- Republican Sen. Bob Smith -- has officially thrown his hat into the ring for the 2002 New Hampshire Senate race, speculation abounds that two other candidates are waiting in the wings.
Smith, who currently holds the seat, announced his intention over a year ago to run for a third term.
He may soon face a strong challenge from New Hampshire GOP Rep. John Sununu, who has indicated an interest in pursuing the office.
While incumbency proves to be an unmatched advantage in many cases, Sununu poses a significant threat to Smith's reelection bid. The latter's vacillating partisan past leads many to question his commitment to the Republican party and its positions.
In 1997, only a year after winning his first reelection bid by one of the narrowest margins in New Hampshire history, Smith left the Republican Party and declared himself an independent candidate for president of the United States.
After that failed bid, Smith returned to the GOP but was accused by critics of siding with liberals on issues such as oil drilling and carbon dioxide emissions.
Now, Smith's campaign addresses concerns about the senator's devotion to his party by trumpeting his extremely conservative voting record during his two terms in office.
"He has a 98 percent record of voting with the party," Lisa Harrison, Smith's spokesperson, said. "He has repeatedly maintained loyalty to the principles of the Republican party even when he was an independent."
Harrison also pointed out that while an independent, Smith continued to run a political action committee -- named "Live Free or Die" -- which contributed money to Republican campaigns all over the country.
Harrison would not comment specifically on the prospect of a challenge by Sununu, but maintained that whatever the circumstances, Smith will run, "the same campaign he has always run," and intends to focus on the work he has done with and for the state's residents.
If Smith does secure the Republican nomination, polls indicate that turbulent waters still lie ahead for the former high school teacher. A survey conducted by the American Research Group in January showed voters favored Granite State Governor Jeanne Shaheen over Smith by 10 percentage points -- despite a recent sales tax proposal set forth by the governor that has met with some negative attention from New Hampshire business owners.
Shaheen has not officially announced a decision to seek the Democratic nomination for the seat, but strong speculation exists that the governor will eventually declare her candidacy.
Shaheen's office remains mum on the issue.
"The people of New Hampshire elected the Governor to do a job this November," insisted Shaheen's press secretary Pamela Walsh, "And that's what she's focused on doing."
