Updated: March 13, 2013, 5:59 PM
Former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is forming a Senate exploratory committee in preparation to run against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), according to a report.
Brown is expected to launch an exploratory committee as soon as Friday, The Associated Press reported Thursday and confirmed by CBS Boston.
The move is the most definitive one Brown has made yet toward running for Senate. For months he had dropped hints about running but still left open the possibility that he would in the end take a pass on challenging Shaheen.
National Republicans also feel that Brown is the best chance they have to defeat Shaheen.
Earlier in the day news broke that Brown had begun putting out feelers among high profile Republicans in the state and had started looking into staffing a campaign team.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was quick to attack Brown in response to the news.
“Scott Brown cares about Scott Brown and that’s why when he was in the Senate he repeatedly voted to protect the interests and special tax breaks of the big banks that fund his campaigns,” DSCC spokeswoman Regan Page said. “If Scott Brown ever returns to the Senate he’d go back to doing their biding and if this exploratory committee is anything more than another publicity stunt he’ll have a tough time convincing New Hampshire voters that he cares about anyone other than himself.”
