When President Barack Obama reached across the aisle and nominated Republican Sen. Judd Gregg to join his Cabinet as Commerce Secretary, Democrats could barely contain their glee. Not only would New Hampshire’s Democratic Governor get to appoint someone to fulfill the remainder of Gregg’s term, but they believed that either that appointee or another Democrat would be the odds on favorite to win a full term in 2010.
Democrats’ excitement is understandable. The state’s population has changed over the last decade, giving the Granite State a decidedly blue hue. The southern part of the state has become an exurb of Boston as Massachusetts residents move to the area in search of affordable housing and lower taxes. And, since New Hampshire, with its “Live free or die” motto, is famous for its lack of income and sales taxes, it also has attracted retirees from other states.
The results of the last three election cycles show how much these new residents have changed the state’s voting patterns. Democrats have scored big successes in all three cycles. In 2004, Democratic businessman John Lynch
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.