NH 2006: Yawn?

Now that Frank Guinta has slide-tackled Bob Baines, severely hobbling his chances of entering the First Congressional District race in 2006, could New Hampshire be one of the most boring states to watch in next year's midterm elections?

Governor John Lynch, whose approval rating hovers at 70 percent, faces -- nobody just yet.

Neither U. S. Senator is up for re-election.

Congressman Jeb Bradley, thanks to his former aide, now faces -- well, not nobody, but certainly no one with the name recognition, political base and war chest of the incumbent mayor of Manchester.

At the top of the ticket, that leaves Congressman Charlie Bass.  His battle to retain his seat against either Paul Hodes, Bret Clemons or State Rep. John DeJoie may become the marquee race next year by default, assuming one of these (or someone else?) can pull together the funds to take on an entrenched incumbent.   And if that assumption is wrong --

-- then we are left with a series of races for the true political obsessives: the struggle for control of the State Senate.   That's where things could get interesting, especially if the Governor decides to expend his political capital on behalf of Democratic candidates for the state legislature.  Unexpected things can happen in low-turnout years: Just go ask the mayor of Manchester.