Scott Brown: NH move ‘strictly personal’

Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown (R) on Thursday said his move to New Hampshire is “strictly personal” despite growing speculation he is preparing for a Senate run.

{mosads}In a statement, published by WMUR, Brown says he’s moving to New Hampshire in part to be closer to his aging mother and his family, and because his children are grown and have moved away.

“My returning to New Hampshire is strictly personal. For those who have read my book, you know that my first home was in New Hampshire. My family and I have long and strong ties to the Granite State that go back many generations,” Brown said.

Brown has traveled the state frequently in the past six months, fundraising and stumping for local Republicans. He’s left the door open to a Senate race, though he hasn’t yet made a public decision.

His move to the state this week seems to indicate he’s moving closer to challenging Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D).

But he said in the statement: “I have nothing to announce with regard to my future political plans.”

Most New Hampshire political observers say Brown has to decide on a bid within the next month or two, if he hopes to be able to build the operation needed to take down Shaheen, who remains popular in New Hampshire.

But Brown could easily raise millions of dollars in a short period if he decided to run, and he’s kept a high profile since losing his reelection fight last year by becoming a commentator for Fox News. Brown has published multiple op-eds hinting at what would be his message if he ran — a focus largely on ObamaCare and its ills, and what he’ll do to stop it.

On Wednesday, he published another such op-ed, calling for Republicans to unite against the healthcare law to win back the Senate in 2014 and the White House in 2016.

“Now is not the time for litmus tests or ideological arguments. The argument next year should be framed up in stark terms: Republican candidates will work to dismantle the healthcare law and return the power to the states where it belongs, and where health care can be delivered cheaper and more efficiently,” he wrote.