We take great pride in being the state with the first in the nation primary. I would wager that even those who don’t vote, or bother to meet any of the candidates, take pride in it. People from bigger states may decry our lack of diversity, but we respond that larger states are too big for our brand of retail politics. We say you’ve got to get out and meet us, shake our hands, and answer our questions in person. It’s important in winnowing down the field of candidates before they get to the big states.

So why is it that the last time we correctly picked the next president, it was a guy who didn’t engage with us? Instead he hosted large venues where he made speeches that insulted easy targets. To top it off, the guy’s resume had no public service whatsoever, and he was running for the top job! Here we are again, with the same guy pulling the same stunts! If this is what New Hampshire politics is allowed to become, how can we claim that the retail politics of a small state is why we should always be first? If we are serious about our first in the nation primary, and all the bragging rights that go with it, we have to do better.

Lillian Wise

Concord