A New Hampshire Primer: Everything You Need To Know

A New Hampshire Primer: Everything You Need To Know

Sure, the eyes of the world are on Iowa right now, but the New Hampshire primary is a mere five days away, and as soon as the votes are counted in Iowa, it's a guarantee that attention is going to whip to the Granite State faster than you can say "Live Free or Die." Below, a primer on the nation's first primary.

Which candidates have the strongest organization?

We've all read paeans to the power of the Edwards, Obama, and Romney organizations in Iowa. But who's ahead in New Hampshire? On the Democratic side, hands down, the organization battle comes down to Clinton versus Obama. Warm memories and lingering support from Bill Clinton's "comeback" in the 1991 New Hampshire primary have helped Hillary throughout the year. Big names in state politics, including the now-controversial Bill Shaheen, signed up to run her campaign, and she has spent much of her time reconnecting with towns and groups she has met at least once before. But two are playing the numbers game. Clinton's campaign boasts about 100 New Hampshire staffers and said it has made 1.4 million calls to Democratic primary voters, knocked on 162,000 doors since October, and handed out 5,000 yard signs. The Obama campaign claims over 100 workers on the ground, nearly 1.5 million phone calls more than 340,000 doors knocked on behalf of their man. Between the two small armies, the ground game on January 8 is anybody's guess.

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