Former U.S. Sen. Bob Smith says he's moving back to New Hampshire in an attempt to win back his old seat.
Smith, who lives in Florida but summers in Tuftonboro, told WMUR-TV on Sunday that he will file paperwork to form a campaign committee in the next few days, followed by a formal announcement in January. The GOP field includes former state Sen. Jim Rubens and conservative activist Karen Testerman.
Smith served two terms in the Senate before losing the 2002 primary to John E. Sununu. In 1999, he ran for president, dropped out of the Republican party, became an independent, ended his presidential campaign and returned to the GOP.
In 2004, Smith endorsed Democrat John Kerry for president and briefly ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida.