Having already made her high-profile return to Iowa to help Democrats there, Hillary Clinton is lending a hand to a Democrat in another key political state — New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first presidential primary.
Clinton will raise money at an event this week in New York City for New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is in a tight race against former Republican Sen. Scott Brown, WMUR first reported. Details of the fundraiser have not yet been announced.
Clinton won the New Hampshire presidential primary in 2008, but she has not visited the state since. The former secretary of state has said she will make a decision about another White House bid sometime early next year.
Shaheen’s brother, Billy, co-chaired Clinton’s last campaign, but resigned under pressure after raising as an issue Barack Obama’s drug use.
Clinton hosted a fundraiser at her Washington home earlier this month for Senate Democratic women, and Shaheen was one of the women Clinton promoted in a recent speech.
Other potential Democratic presidential candidates, including Vice President Joe Biden and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley have also visited the state recently to campaign for Democrats. Most of the Republicans eyeing a presidential run have also made the trek to boost candidates on their side of the aisle.
Shaheen has held a fairly strong lead over Brown, a former senator from neighboring Massachusetts, but in a year sure to be bad for Democrats, the party remains concerned about its prospects in the Granite State. Polling shows the race has tightened recently, though Shaheen continues to lead.
Alex Seitz-Wald