Former Sen. Scott P. Brown, R-Mass., announced Friday he is preparing to run for Senate in New Hampshire, kicking off a nearly unprecedented bid to represent a second state in the Senate.  

Brown’s decision, unveiled in a speech at the Northeast Republican Leadership Conference in Nashua, N.H., comes 16 months after he was defeated for re-election in the neighboring Bay State by Democrat Elizabeth Warren.  

If he wins the Sept. 9 GOP primary and can defeat Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Brown would become just the third person in history — and first since the 1870s — to have represented more than one state in the Senate, according to the Senate Historical Office.  

“Starting tomorrow morning, and for the next several weeks, Gail and I will be traveling around the state to introduce ourselves, to ask questions, to speak with everyone of every background — Republicans, independents and Democrats alike — and above all to listen to them and learn of their concerns,” Brown said, according to his prepared remarks. Brown, heavily favored to take the Republican nomination, starts out as an underdog against Shaheen, who had $3.4 million in cash on hand at the end of 2013. Still, his candidacy expands the map by one more state for national Republicans, who need a net gain of six seats to win the majority.  

Speculation about a potential bid in New Hampshire for Brown started nearly a year ago . Over the past 12 months, Brown began popping up around the Granite State, stumping for candidates and contributing money to campaigns. He’s since sold his Massachusetts home and participated in a local polar bear swim .  

The final piece of the puzzle came early Friday afternoon, when Fox News announced it had terminated his contract .  

In the GOP primary, Brown faces a handful of other contenders, including fellow former Sen. Bob Smith and former state Sen. Jim Rubens.