Lauren Dorgan:Former senator John Sununu has made no comment on his interest in running once more for Senate, now that his former colleague is creating an opening in 2010.
His father, the Republican party chairman, said there's no rush for his son to make up his mind: "There's no hurry for him to do this. I believe he's been officially out of the Senate about five weeks," he said. His fatherly advice, he said: "Say no fast and yes slowly."
The elder Sununu offered this hint: "I think Sen. Sununu will take a few months . . . and come back sometime around the summer and let people know what he's going to do." And remember this from a couple days ago?Former governor Steve Merrill told the Fix that he would defer to Sununu but, if the senator is out, Merrill will likely take a hard look at the contest. The Sununus are holding the NHGOP hostage.
In order for any New Hampshire Republican not named John E. Sununu to run a credible race for Senate, they need to start planning and raising money now. But they can't until Sununu makes a decision. Who's going to jump in ahead of the NHGOP's Chair's son and expect to be supported?
Needless to say, who runs or doesn't run, or effectively can't run after too late a date, seriously impacts the House and gubernatorial candidates, and so on down the down-ticket line.
Why is it, again, that everyone on the other team was cheering the Elder Sununu's decision to run things? If this were my party, I'd be calling for open revolt right now.
And while we're on the subject, don't miss Political Chowder this week (I'll embed it here later). It's, sadly, the final episode, and it features the NHGOP Chair himself. I am told it is going to be very interesting... |
