Former Republican Rep. Charlie Bass has initiated a preliminary bid to reclaim the New Hampshire seat he held for a dozen years but lost in the 2006 election.

Bass’ formation of a 2010 “exploratory” committee — which usually is the precursor to a full-scale campaign — will gratify national Republican Party recruiters who are trying to capture some Democratic-held seats and cut into the rival party’s House majority in the upcoming midterm elections.

Bass announced his committee’s launch Wednesday that in New Hampshire’s 2nd District, which includes Nashua and the state capital of Concord. Bass, a center-right Republican, represented the district from 1995 through his defeat by Democrat Paul W. Hodes in the strongly Democratic year of 2006. Hodes has left the House seat open for 2010 in order to bid for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Republican Judd Gregg.