About every two years, politicians begin descending upon the state of New Hampshire to prepare for its “first of the nation” primary. And residents are well aware of the starring role they play in the election process.
“For some of us, the ordeal never stops,” says John Clayton. He’s Executive Director of the Manchester Historical Association and former journalist at The Union Leader.
Clayton says candidates are well aware that New Hampshire voters can play a pivotal role in the success of a campaign. Though presidential elections are every four years, they can feel much closer together in New Hampshire – more like every 2 years – as candidates look ahead and start angling for votes.
That might be because New Hampshire voters are infamously hard to predict.
“We do that on purpose,” Clayton laughs. “It’s a trait in New Hampshire that we call cussedness – it’s defying authority. Perhaps you give a pollster a misleading response when they ask who you’re supporting, because, you know, there’s something sacred about the secret ballot.”
Another way candidates try and influence voters is with “retail politics.” In an era of super-PACS and billionaires running for president, a lot of money is being spent on New Hampshire’s airwaves to convince and rally voters.
Candidates may be better served by just being present. At Manchester’s watering-holes, local landmarks, politicians can meet regular people. And residents tend to find meet-and-greets more compelling than TV advertising – that’s partly because they take pride in seeing candidates in an unfiltered way and testing them, Clayton says:
“We think this is part of the process that makes them better candidates when they leave New Hampshire and go on to the general election.”
Listen to WGBH Morning Edition host Bob Seay discuss the New Hampshire Primary with James Clayton, Executive Director of the Manchester Historical Association, at the top of the page.
