The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is bragging about a new poll showing Sen. John Sununu (R) losing to a potential Democratic challenger.

The only problem is that former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D), who lost to Sununu by 4 points in 2002, has not agreed to a rematch.

In an independent survey conducted by the American Research Group, Shaheen held a 44 percent to 34 percent lead over Sununu. ARG queried 551 registered voters March 25-28, and the poll had a margin of error of 4.2 points.

Shaheen has not definitively said no, but other Democrats are not waiting around for the Harvard Institute of Politics’ director to make up her mind.

Jay Buckey (D), a former astronaut who is now a doctor, became the latest potential Senate candidate to form an exploratory committee.

“I love this country, and I believe in our future — but right now we are on the wrong track,” Buckey wrote on his campaign Web site last week. “The country I was born in could send people to the moon. Today … I’m deeply concerned that we can’t respond adequately to a disaster in one of our own cities.”

Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand (D) and Katrina Swett (D), who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2002 and is the daughter of Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), also have established exploratory committees.

In a statement, the DCCC last week said Sununu is paying at the polls because he “rubber-stamped [President] George Bush’s agenda for too long [and is] already in deep trouble over 18 months before the 2008 elections.”

— Nicole Duran