[img_assist|nid=4316|title=U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=175|height=221]MANCHESTER--U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-Rye) said that he "presumes" he will run for re-election in 2010, but left the door open that he might decide to retire.

"I'm presuming I'll run again, but I haven't made any decisions," Gregg told PolitickerNH.com. "I'll sit down with Kathy next year and decide."

Gregg also said that he thinks Republican presidential nominee John McCain will "do very well" in the state and he hopes fellow U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R-Waterville Valley) is re-elected on Election Day.

"John Sununu is probably one of the strongest members of the Senate," Gregg said. "I hope people will elect him again."

Discussing McCain's chances of winning New Hampshire, Gregg said, "I think his long history of one-on-one contact will help him in the state."

Gregg also discussed the changing political landscape in the state.

Gregg said that over the past 20 years money has begun to play an increasingly large part in New Hampshire elections.

"In New Hampshire these elections are no longer controlled by the candidates they're controlled by the money coming in from New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.," he said.

Gregg said that voters have become more affluent since he first ran for office in the 1980's but he thinks new voters share "the same values" with traditional Granite State voters.

"These people come to the state for the high quality of life with a small government that doesn't waste their money."