According to Politico.com the newest US Senator from New Hampshire will be Bonnie Newman, a longtime moderate Republican who endorsed Democrat John Lynch in 2004. The appointment is set to be announced around 4:30pm this afternoon in New Hampshire.

If true, this is an interesting choice since Newman is only 63 and thus could be a candidate for re-election in 2010. Many had assumed that if Lynch tapped a Republican that it would be an older statesman like former Senator Rudman who would not run in 2010.

UPDATE: Reports now indicate that Newman has agreed not to run in 2010, likely turning this seat Democratic