Turning our attention further north and east, New Hampshire will see at least three interesting races next year.

Democratic congressman Paul Hodes is running for Senate. But he’s not above 50 percent against any potential Republican opponent, and the University of New Hampshire Survey Center says “32 percent of Granite Staters have a favorable opinion of Hodes, 23 percent have an unfavorable opinion.” Their poll has him trailing New Hampshire attorney general Kelly Ayotte.

Kelly Ayotte is a Republican attorney general appointed by a Democratic governor, John Lynch. (Lynch says that she had agreed not to run for office until 2013.) The fact that Maine GOP senator Susan Collins is among those encouraging Ayotte to run may make some conservatives cringe. Nonetheless, her favorables are high, her unfavorables are low, and as one strategist in the state puts it, “attorney generals make uniquely strong candidates. They get to take credit for putting cop killers on death row, and when they take a position that’s unpopular, they can say they were just representing their client, the state government.” Beyond her record as AG, Ayotte is something of a political blank slate — which may help explain the high approval rating.

Beyond Ayotte, there is former New Hampshire GOP gubernatorial nominee Ovide Lamontagne, who’s met with the NRSC, Nashua businessman Fred Tausch, and former Rep. Charlie Bass. One of my New Hampshire guys thinks Bass will measure support for a Senate bid, and then decide to run for his old House seat — the seat Hodes is resigning to run for Senate — putting him in good position for a GOP pickup.

Then there is the state’s other member of the House, Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, who will face off against Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta. Guinta has a minor political headache over his presence near a bar fight, although he did not participate; also involved were two local politicians and brothers named (gulp) Garrity.