Jeanne Shaheen—New Hampshire

John Sununu stole Jeanne Shaheen's Senate seat from her, and now she wants it back. Shaheen lost to Sununu in 2002 in a close race that he only managed to win with the aid of some Republican operatives' Republican dirty tricks. The tricksters have since been banished and/or jailed, Sununu's ratings are tanking, and now Jeanne Shaheen is a clear favorite to beat him fair and square this year.

As a 3-term governor and the first woman to hold that office in New Hampshire (not to mention the first Democrat to be elected governor there in 16 years), Jeanne showed herself to be a strong, independent politician with a knack for building bipartisan coalitions to tackle tough problems. Her policies and initiatives were good for New Hampshire's families and children -- she expanded access to public education and raised school standards, extended health care to thousands of uninsured children, helped make college tuition more affordable, and made sure that those who were insured by HMO's got better, safer coverage.

Jeanne's actions as governor were good for the environment, too. She developed the state's first comprehensive energy plan to fight pollution and lower energy costs. Under her leadership, New Hampshire was the first state in the nation to require its power plants to reduce emissions of the Big Four sources of global warming: carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides and mercury.

Jeanne's three terms as New Hampshire's head honcho were good for business and for government as well -- she created tax incentives, led trade missions, and encouraged new business opportunities that created over 60,000 new jobs turning her watch. She made the big utilities lower their electric rates for residents and businesses. She enforced fiscal responsibility and kept the state's ballooning budgets in line. And she put in place new ethics legislation to keep state employees on the straight and level and keep the lobbyists out of their revolving doors.

As Senator Shaheen, Jeanne will be able to build on those solid strengths and take those proven abilities to the national level. Her pro-family-pro-female, pro-civil rights stance is the reason she was strongly endorsed by Emily's List as one of their top candidates. Sununu is one of the worst of the lot when it comes to the Roadblock Republicans, and Jeanne Shaheen will be one of the best of the new crop of Democrats taking back the GOP old guard's power for the people again.

Jeanne Shaheen for Senate campaign site

Jeanne Shaheen on Emily's List