Could former Sen. Kelly Ayotte be the next FBI director?

Pity the person who gets nominated by President Trump to fill the gaping, open role of FBI director. "That person will face a potentially brutal nomination hearing, as many Republicans and Democrats will use the hearings to vent their frustration over the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections," Politico Playbook reports.

Unless, of course, that person happens to be a former colleague. New Hampshire media is buzzing that its former Republican senator, Kelly Ayotte, who narrowly lost her seat in November to a Democrat, could be on the short list for succeeding ousted FBI Director James Comey.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Fox News that there are many good candidates for the role, but he considered a nomination of Ayotte to be an "excellent choice." Ayotte "does have a law enforcement background, having served as New Hampshire's attorney general before joining the U.S. Senate," NECN writes. "She has had a complicated relationship with Trump, first backing him and then backing away from him during her re-election campaign last year. But she worked closely with him to help usher Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch through the Senate confirmation process."

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The underlying story, though, might be that Trump fired Comey without a replacement in mind. He is reportedly in the process of "soliciting suggestions," top Republicans told Politico.