NOW Hampshire offers a rumor that, if true, would be layers upon layers of awesome.

New Hampshire is one of those states that shifted from reddish-purple to deep blue quickly in the latter part of the past decade. Attribute it to Bush remorse, the war in Iraq, economic frustration, demands for somebody else to pay the health-care bills* — the perfect issue environment brought the Democrats the state’s two House seats, the governor’s mansion, and one of the Senate seats.

One of their Democratic House members, Paul Hodes, is running for the other Senate seat, with Judd Gregg retiring. But now there are whispers that Carol Shea-Porter is reconsidering her decision not to seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Judd Gregg.

It sounds like there are already tensions between the two legislators. Hodes is already trailing Republican candidates in hypothetical Senate matchups. A bitter primary fight would leave the reputations of both Democrats trashed.

*A reader writes in another key factor: transplants from Massachusetts moving in . . .