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So does anyone remember U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, bowing out of the U.S. Senate race in 2007 only to rejoin and eventually win against incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole?

If the folks at Swing State Project can be believed, we’re seeing that scenario – well, at least the Hamlet routine – play out again here in North Carolina. From a post on the SSP site today:

Two separate sources have informed the Swing State Project that former state Sen. Cal Cunningham has reconsidered his earlier decision and will enter the Democratic primary for the 2010 North Carolina senate race.

Update: National Journal's "Hotline" blog now has a post saying essentially the same thing. Click here.

An operative running Cunningham’s Facebook group hinted at as much last week in a message sent to supporters. From that message:

We now have every reason to believe that Cal is listening to those who want him back in the running.

This campaign began at the grassroots, right here with your membership in this group. Now we're ready to take the next logical step: building a community-driven flesh and blood campaign organization.

For those of you who need a scorecard, Cunningham would join two other candidates:

• N.C. Sec. of State Elaine Marshall. (Side note: I was very sorry to learn her husband passed away this weekend.)
• Lawyer Ken Lewis, who has never held political office before.

If Cunningham does get back in the race, it would likely be because the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee made him an offer that convinced him enough help would be forthcoming for him to win – not unlike the offer that helped Hagan decide to get back in the race two years ago.

Remember, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge declined to run for the seat a couple weeks ago, which turned people’s attention to Cunningham. Meanwhile, the N+O’s Rob Christensen writes (correctly) that Marshall must feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of North Carolina Politics. More on that theme here and here.