Former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays plans to file paperwork on Tuesday to enter the race for U.S. Senate.
The Republican Congressman who lost his re-election bid in 2008 to Democrat Jim Himes previously told the Hearst Connecticut Media Group that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat Sen. Joe Lieberman currently holds.
Lieberman, the state’s senior senator, said in January that he will not seek re-election in 2012. He decided to run after Sen. Joe Lieberman announced he would not seek re-election.
Shays moved to Maryland shortly after losing office in 2008, but he bought a condo in Bridgeport last year and he and his wife each have a Connecticut driver's license.
He was recently re-instated as a Bridgeport voter and plans to file paperwork in to run as a Republican.
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz and State Rep. William Tong have thrown their names in as Democratic candidates.
Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon has is another GOP candidate, Former Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy has filed an exploratory committee and Brian Cahill of Hartford has formed a candidate committee.
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David Walker, the former comptroller general, and former LT. Gov. Michael Fedele are weighing their options, party officials said.
Shays has said he believes he's the underdog for the party's endorsement GOP nomination and expects a primary.
