Former U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., is looking to disprove the adage "you can't go home again."

Shays, on sabbatical from Connecticut's political scene since his 2008 election loss, told Hearst Connecticut Newspapers on Monday that he will enter the race to succeed U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), who is retiring when his term expires in 2012.

The former congressman, unseated in 2008 by Democrat Jim Himes, sold his Bridgeport home shortly after the election and moved to Maryland. He was reinstated Friday as a voter in Bridgeport, where he and his wife, Betsi, bought a condominium last year when he was considering a run for governor.

"Betsi and I are excited to be back in Connecticut," Shays said. "These are all the steps that I am taking so that I can have the opportunity to run for Senate. I hope to be on the ballot next November."

Shays, 65, is expected to face former wrestling executive Linda McMahon, who spent $50 million on an unsuccessful Senate bid in 2010, in next year's Republican primary.

A fixture in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 2008, Shays is a co-chairman of a special commission created by Congress to look into military contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The commission is scheduled to release its final report at the end of August and dissolve in September, leaving Shays with the ability to become a full-time candidate for the seat. Shays said Monday he'll file papers to enter the race on Oct. 3.

Election officials in Bridgeport confirmed that Shays and his wife appeared at the registrars of voters' office at 4 p.m. Friday to be reinstated to the city's voter rolls.

"They're fully registered voters," said Cisco Borres, the city's deputy Republican registrar. "All their rights as voters have been restored. They're good to go."

Shays lost his seat of 21 years in 2008 to Himes, who is serving his second term. During Shays' final term he was the lone New England Republican in the House.

Even though Shays and his wife moved to and registered to vote in St. Michaels, Md. after that race, Borres said they were listed as inactive voters in Bridgeport.

"He was never fully removed," Borres said.

Shays, who was born and raised in Connecticut but has been characterized by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as a carpetbagger, said he once again holds a Connecticut driver's license.

"We're in the process of moving our legal address back into Connecticut," said Shays, who plans to keep his home in Maryland.

Shays declined to respond further to criticism from the DSCC.

A July poll by Frank Luntz showed Shays in a statistical dead-heat with U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in a hypothetical matchup for Senate. The survey of 500 registered Connecticut voters had Murphy, who entered the race in January after Lieberman announced his retirement, leading Shays 42 to 40 percent.

The same poll had Murphy leading McMahon, the former chief executive of WWE who lost to longtime Democratic Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in 2010, 52 to 36 percent.

McMahon is on the cusp of jumping into the race, which is also drawing interest from former Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and David Walker, a former U.S. comptroller general who coincidentally bought Shays' former home in Bridgeport.

The same poll showed Shays leading former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, a Democrat, 48 to 37 percent.

In addition to Murphy and Bysiewicz, the Democratic field includes state Rep. William Tong, of Stamford.


Read more: Hearst exclusive: Former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays to enter 2012 Senate race - GreenwichTime
He is still very popular and lost in a wave election. i think he would be a better fit in the traditionally less partisan Senate. i don't think he could get the nomination. The nominee will be a far right person doomed to 40 percent of the vote. shays might win. He is a traditional new england republican and would of had my vote if I was in his district.