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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Senator John McCain expects many U.S. Republicans to seek the party's presidential nomination in 2012. "I think there's going to be 1,000 flowers bloom," he said Monday at the annual Washington Reuters Summit. McCain, who won the nomination in 2008 and went on to lose to Democrat Barack Obama in the presidential election, did not predict who he thought might run. "I think it's too early," he said. (snip) McCain's advice to Republicans: Keep your eye on New Hampshire. (snip) "For Republicans it seems to me that New Hampshire is still the very key place," McCain...

MANCHESTER N.H. — Can the Republican establishment and Sarah Palin find happiness in New Hampshire? First-time candidate Kelly Ayotte hopes so

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates seem to be playing a game of chicken, with contenders waiting for someone to move first, observers said. Some 2012 GOP hopefuls this year seem more reticent about promoting themselves before the midterms in November while others are keeping mum for more strategic reasons, Politico reported Sunday. GOP 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, former Republican National Committee chief and current Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels are among those who are jockeying behind the scenes, leaving Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty virtually...

I'm a life-long Republican, and I'm sorry to say I don't recognize the party anymore. The party of smaller government, personal freedom, and fiscal responsibility has become the party of bloated government, covert subjugation of our personal rights, porous borders, and deficits that are bankrupting our nation. Would it shock you to know that three-quarters of our total national debt was incurred under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush? We all know Barack Obama is on a path to outdo the two of them combined. There was much hand-wringing after the last election, with no shortage of advice on what...

All eyes in the Senate were on Republican Judd Gregg of New Hampshire Thursday amid speculation that President Obama is seriously considering him as his Commerce secretary. For his part, Gregg refused to comment on reports that he is a finalist. Obama had earlier tapped Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for the position, but he withdrew in December amid a federal corruption probe. "I really don't have any comment on that at all," Gregg said. Later he added, "I can't comment at all on this." If Obama were to nominate Gregg, it could have significant implications for the Senate....

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is considering nominating Republican Sen. Judd Gregg as his commerce secretary, officials in Washington and New Hampshire said Thursday night. Senior Democrats say the New Hampshire senator is among the top of a list of those considered for Obama's Cabinet, although they emphasized that no move was imminent. They spoke on condition of anonymity because no decision has been made and they were not authorized to discuss the administration's thinking. Gregg was the GOP's chief negotiator for the $700 billion bailout of the financial industry. That alone would deliver him a tough re-election bid...

NASHUA, N.H.—New Hampshire Republicans would have rather seen John McCain take the oath of office on Tuesday, but that doesn't mean they won't give President Obama a chance. Republican adviser Tom Rath said now is not the time for partisan fighting because people are hurting. He said leaders must find common ground and if Republicans disagree with Obama's policies, they can do so without getting nasty. Former New Hampshire GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen said Obama is his president, too, and certainly doesn't want him to fail.

Two New Hampshire GOP House members have added their names to a Legislative Service Requestion seeking to introduce a bill allowing red light cameras in the Granite State. House members Ken Hawkins (R-Bedford) and John A Graham (R-Bedford) have joined NH State Senator Sheila Roberge (R-Bedford) in sponsoring LSR 2009-S-0874-R, titled "authorizing the electronic enforcement of traffic signal violations." Red light cameras snap a digital photo of vehicles caught inside the intersection when the the signal changes from yellow to red, not just those entering the intersection after the signal changes to red. With no video to contest the situation...

I have closely researched the constitution and bylaws of the Republican State Committee, and nowhere do I find a provision for designating registered Republicans as RINOs (Republicans in name only). So who is it that has the authority to make such a designation? The RINO designation is being bandied about by certain self-appointed Reagan Republicans as though they have the sole claim to be real Republicans. Was it not Ronald Reagan who popularized the phrase "the big tent," under which all Republicans to the left or right were welcome? Now we have this shrinking minority of so-called Reagan Republicans claiming...

Am I the only one who is noticing a definite FRed slam going here? Starting with the snide remarks from the NH GOP Chairman, to the commentators, to the candidates!