Charlie Bass is back in politics. Bass, 57, a moderate Republican who spent 12 years representing New Hampshire in the U.S. House, is considering a run for his old seat. "At this point I'm moving up the continuum in trying to determine whether politics, a run for office, is in the cards for me next year," Bass told the Monitor.

Bass, of Peterborough, announced yesterday that he was establishing an advisory committee of friends in the 2nd Congressional District. Today, the beginning of the quarterly reporting period, he plans to file a declaration of candidacy and create a candidate committee with the Federal Elections Commission. He said he would make a final decision whether to run sometime next year.

Bass also said he has ruled out a run for U.S. Senate.

"I decided that the U.S. Senate is not an option at this point for me," he said.

Bass, a former state senator, was elected to the 2nd District seat in 1994 and ousted in 2006, when Democrats virtually swept the November elections in New Hampshire. Bass has often called himself an independent voice within the Republican Party. He is the former president and CEO of the Republican Main Street Partnership, a group of party moderates. He is pro-choice and has been active in environmental issues. On the other hand, during his time as congressman, he stuck by President Bush on issues including the Iraq war. He worked to lower taxes, increase federal special education funding and reform campaign finance laws.

"In the 12 years I was in Congress, I brought an independent quality to the job and a pragmatic leadership style that may be attractive to New Hampshire voters next year," Bass said.

Bass would run for the House seat vacated by Paul Hodes, the Democrat who defeated Bass in 2006 and who is now campaigning for U.S. Senate. Bass's Republican challengers could include 2008 nominee Jennifer Horn and former state representative Bob Giuda. On the Democratic side, Ann McLane Kuster, Katrina Swett and John DeJoie are all possible candidates.

One advantage for Bass would be automatic seniority in the House. Bass said yesterday that Republican leaders assured him that if re-elected, Bass would regain his seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and would maintain the seniority he had before being voted out.

"I'll be back on the job as if I hadn't been gone at all," Bass said. "That would probably make me the most senior member of the delegation."

Bass said the committee seat would allow him to be active in issues such as energy and telecommunications, which could particularly affect rural areas in New Hampshire.

Bass said he decided to consider a run because he believes the country is at a crossroads.

"(President) Obama and the Democratic Congress presented the American people with a very clear direction, and I'm not sure how supportive most people are of that direction," he said. Bass said he plans to try to gauge whether voters "want pragmatic practical conservative fiscal leadership in Washington or whether they like the decisions as developed to date."

Analysts said Bass comes into the race with several advantages. In 2006, he was hampered by Bush's unpopularity. Now, he hopes to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Obama.

"A Democratic Congress and administration gives him something to argue against," said independent political analyst Dean Spiliotes. "He didn't have the opportunity last time, because there was an unpopular Republican president to defend."

Wayne Lesperance, associate professor of political science at New England College, said that with Obama taking on difficult issues such as health care, "there is limited buyers' remorse," which could help Republicans in the midterm elections. In addition, Lesperance said, midterm elections tend to favor the party that is out of power.

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