Convenience Candidate

BOSTON -- Republican Christy Mihos is seriously considering dropping his campaign for governor to run for the U.S. Senate seat of the late Edward M. Kennedy, a senior adviser to Mihos confirmed, a pivot that The Boston Globe said would reshape the two most high-profile political campaigns in Massachusetts.

Mihos, who made millions by selling a chain of convenience stores, is expected to announce his decision within days. If he shifts gears and runs for Senate, the move would help the GOP avoid a divisive gubernatorial primary and encourage the party rank-and-file to rally behind former health care executive Charles D. Baker, said the report.

His entry into the Senate race would add a well-known name to a growing Republican field.

"This is a decision that is all but finalized," the adviser, who asked for anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, told the newspaper.

Mihos, who has had a rocky relationship with the Republican Party since he ran for governor in 2006 as an independent, is in talks with Republicans in Washington trying to line up support for a potential Senate bid, the adviser added.

News of Mihos's possible Senate bid comes amid a frenzy of activity in the race, with several current or former members of Congress announcing their plans to run or take a pass.

According to Mihos's website, Mihos's grandfather, an immigrant from Greece, founded a small market in Brockton. Christy Mihos began working in the store as soon as he was big enough to bag groceries. He and his brother took over the stores from their father and uncle in the late 1970s. Together, they quadrupled the number of stores. Christy's Markets became New England's second largest c-store chain, operating in all six states. In 1998, Mihos and his brother sold all of the stores to 7-Eleven. Still wanting to stay close to a business he loved, Mihos bought back 10 Cape Cod stores. He has since developed new stores on the Cape and he continues to nurture the growing company.

Click herefor previous CSP Daily News coverage of Mihos and Hyannis, Mass.-based Christy's of Cape Cod LLC.