Guinta takes heart from poll, eyes federal office

The Manchester Union Leader ^ | Apr. 28, 2009 | Tom Fahey

[Clintonfatigued]

Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta said yesterday he is focusing his eyes on a run for federal office in 2010.

Guinta, a Republican, said yesterday that he'll announce exactly which office he'd like within a few weeks, but he ruled out a run for governor.

While he said he was encouraged by findings in a recent Republican poll, a Democratic party spokesman read them differently. She said the results fall well short of what someone with long-stated political ambitions should draw.

Two weeks ago, Guinta said he won't run for a third term as mayor of the state's largest city because he plans to seek higher office. In 2008 he flirted with challenging Gov. John Lynch, but pulled out of the contest early.

Political observers expected him to run for Congress this time. Yesterday, a GOP poll showed him within striking distance of U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, a Democrat in her second term who represents the state's 1st District, which includes Manchester.

The poll conducted by On Message Inc., a consultant to the Republican National Congressional Committee, showed Shea-Porter with 43 percent support, Guinta with 34 percent and 24 percent undecided, said Wes Anderson, a partner in On Message. The poll of 300 likely voters has a margin of error of 5.6 percent.

Guinta could challenge Shea-Porter, or seek the Republican nomination to replace U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-NH, who is retiring after 2010. U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes, D-NH, has already announced he'll seek Gregg's seat.

[Clintonfatigued]

Guinta has great promise. I think he could win either race.

[Past Your Eyes]

He’d be a huge improvement over Hodes or Che Porter. Too bad he couldn’t beat them both.

[Impy]

It’s good he won’t run for the weak Governor’s office, we need him in Washington, in either the House or Senate.

Him for House, Steve Merrill for Senate sounds good.