Steve Pearce wants his job back. After leaving behind the House two years ago for greener pastures on the north end of the Capitol, Pearce got shellacked in the general election by Tom Udall, then a fellow representative and now the junior senator from New Mexico. Republicans, who in the previous session of Congress had two of the state's three House seats and one of its Senate seats, are now unrepresented in the 111th Congress -- and Pearce aims to change that.

His journey back got a little closer Tuesday night when he handily defeated Cliff Pirtle, a Roswell-area farmer, in the GOP primary. The win sets up what's expected to be a competitive general election fight against freshman Democrat Harry Teague for the 2nd district seat. All three of the state's congressmen are freshman Dems, but Teague looks to have the most difficult race ahead of him in the Republican-leaning district on the Mexican border.

Pearce is not the only former member looking to get back to Capitol Hill. Ousted in 2008, Steve Chabot of Ohio and Tim Walberg of Michigan are hoping a stronger year for Republicans nationwide assists their comeback campaigns; as are a couple of 2006 casualties like Mike Fitzpatrick, knocked out of his Philly-area seat, and Richard Pombo, who's actually running in a neighboring Northern California district.

Also hoping for a second shot at Congress are unsuccessful GOP challengers who lost vacant Republican districts in 2008, like Maryland's Andy Harris, Ohio's Steve Stivers and Virginia's Keith Fimian. Same with Doug Hoffman, who, under odd circumstances, lost New York's 23rd district in a November 2009 special election.

Apparently it's the year of do-overs for Republicans across the country -- only time will tell if voters think so too.