Advertisement NH Primary Source: Sanders close to decision on second presidential run More likely than not he’ll run, key supporter says Share Shares Copy Link Copy

New Hampshire Primary Source gives you breaking and behind-the-scenes news and analysis on all things political in the Granite State. John DiStaso is the most experienced political writer in the state and has been writing a weekly column since 1982.To sign up for WMUR's new weekly New Hampshire Primary Source and political email newsletter, click here.IS HE IN? Bernie Sanders is still considering whether to make a second run for president, but there have been signals received locally during in the past several days that he’s likely to get into the race.A key Sanders supporter tells New Hampshire Primary source that it is becoming increasingly clear that the 2016 leadoff primary winner is close to making a decision, most likely before the end of the month -- and that it is more likely than not that Sanders will run.The Sanders team in New Hampshire has been waiting for a clear sign to re-launch a grassroots effort in the state. Thanks in large part to that effort, Sanders received 60 percent of the New Hampshire Democratic primary vote in 2016, while eventual nominee Hillary Clinton received 38 percent.It would be a much different race this time with at least nine Democrats either formally announced as candidates or exploring candidacies, which means they will become formal candidates soon. If Sanders enters the race, a New Hampshire primary win would be considered a “must” for his chances going forward.State Rep. Mark King of Nashua, a member of the Sanders steering committee, said the group has continued to meet since the 2016 campaign ended.He said he hosted an “Organizing for Bernie” meeting recently at his home and sparked a letter-writing effort for supporters to directly ask Sanders to run. King obviously hopes an announcement comes soon -- and that it’s positive.“I believe in him. I hope he lets us get started and do what we do,” King said.King said he met Sanders more than 20 years ago at a Vermont monastery, “and he was talking about the same stuff the that he’s talking about now. “He’s consistent. He had progressive values when it was unpopular and will have the same values going into the future.”King said the recent allegations of sexual harassment on the Sanders campaign during his 2016 run “is a big thing. It’s wrong, but what I know that (in the New Hampshire campaign) there was no tolerance of ‘BS’ at all.“My sense is that there are forces who do not want a true progressive candidate to move to the head of the pack,” King said. “They’d rather have the same old thing -- people who are photogenic and have the right background, so it plays well, but they don’t have the progressive bona fides.”WELD AT NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE. A second planned stop in New Hampshire before the end of February is a strong indication that former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld will jump in and challenge President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. Click here.THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE. Pete Buttigieg is not a household name in the first-primary state, but he hopes to get to that level of recognition soon. Click here.HE’S BACK. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper appears to be moving closer to a run for president, and he’s making a visit to the first-primary state. Click here.HEADING DIRECTLY TO GRANITE STATE. After Sen. Elizabeth Warren formally announces her candidacy in Lawrence, Massachusetts on Saturday, she’ll head directly to New Hampshire for an organizing event at Dover City Hall. Click here.THE SPEAKER IS POPULAR. While running the business of the New Hampshire House, Speaker Steve Shurtleff has been fielding calls from would-be Democratic presidents. Click here.ON THE RADAR. A new candidate is expected to officially enter the Democratic presidential field Sunday. Click here.SURDUKOWSKI’S HOPEFUL. Concord attorney Jay Surdukowski, the strongest – or at least most vocal – supporter of former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, is optimistic after watching O’Rourke’s Tuesday interview with Ophah Winfrey. Click here.PREPARING FOR 2020? State Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes hasn’t said if he will run for governor in 2020, but the Republicans might be thinking that he’s headed in that direction. Click here.(John DiStaso can be reached at jdistaso@hearst.com or distasoj@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jdistaso and on Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnDiStasoWMUR.)