Stormy Weather The New Hampshire Primary and Presidential Politics

s the crucial first step in the presidential primary season, New Hampshire sets the stage and profoundly affects can-didates' odds of success or failure. Every four years, this small, mountainous, proudly distinctive state is curiously trans-formed into the center of America's political universe. Candidates' per-formances, especially in comparison to expecta-tions, influence the competition for the country's highest office. Do well, and create momentum; do worse, and risk defusing a campaign. Scala explains the importance and peculiarities of New Hampshire, providing both historical context and insights into the tensions between local politics and the national agendas of candidates. New Hamp-shire's sympathy for reformist can-didates has often the paradoxical effect of jumpstarting the campaigns of those candidates least representative of voters nationally, and Scala explores the tremendous implications this effect has on presidential politics. Scala explains what it takes for can-didates to make the Granite State a launching pad rather than a crash landing.

Dante J. Scala is Associate Professor of politics, St. Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire and Fellow, The New Hampshire Institute of Politics.