Concord's Mike Dennehy has been named national political director for Sen. John McCain's presidential bid. Dennehy, who served as New Hampshire campaign manager and New England political director for McCain's 2000 presidential run, will relocate to the Washington, D.C., area at the end of the month, he told the Monitor yesterday.

"I'm very excited," said Dennehy, 37. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. John McCain is the most experienced and the best person to lead the Republican Party and to lead the nation as the next president of the United States."

Technically, the Arizona Republican is still in the exploratory stage; McCain is likely to formally announce his presidential candidacy after the holidays, Dennehy said.

Dennehy's lobbying and political-consulting firm, The Dennehy Group, will remain in operation but will be renamed, with a new principal to be announced later this month, Dennehy said. He plans to keep his home in Concord and resettle there after the presidential election.

"My home and my life is in New Hampshire," he said.

Eric Moskowitz