WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- The state Green Party is hoping to enlist a new candidate to run against Sen. Chris Dodd in 2010.

Friday, the party urged Winsted-native Ralph Nader, the 76-year-old frequent presidential candidate, to jump into the race.

Nader has experience running in national elections, having run for president three times.

Nader was in West Hartford on Friday for a book signing. At the same time, supporters are urging him to get into what they called one of the hottest political races in the country.

“If enough people, hundreds and hundreds of people urge Ralph Nader to run, get involved directly in this race, it’s going to be something very exciting to have an independent person not associated with the two big parties being a U.S. senator and it’ll do a lot of good for our state,” said Tim McKee of the Connecticut Green Party.

Nader remains non-committal.

“It’s premature,” he said. “I’ve been getting an increasing number of requests to do so. This is my home state and I’m just absorbing a lot of the feedback before I make a decision.”

Some of those who waited in line at Nader’s book signing said they aren’t so sure he should run for the office.

“He seems to have a fairly high profile at this point, some influence doing what he’s doing, like Al Gore,” said Peter Olguin, of West Hartford. “Al Gore can do what he does best because he’s not having to run for public office.”

Nader said the issue is not so much Sen. Dodd as it is the Senate as a whole. Nader characterized the Senate as gridlocked and unable to pass most of the legislation sent to it by the House.

Nader gave no timetable on when he might decide to run.