Primary Day Arrives in New Hampshire

Kaitlin interviews Republican candidate Ted Cruz outside the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Braving snow and freezing temperatures, a record number of voters turned out on February 9 in New Hampshire to help choose the next President of the United States. On the afternoon of Primary Day, I toured several polling stations across the state and spoke with voters and candidates.

According to New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, a record-setting 532,069 people participated in the New Hampshire Primary. (This does not include write-ins.) Many voters with whom I spoke seemed to fall into one of two categories. They either made their decision early in the process, or they remained undecided until the very end. 

At a local polling place, Joanne Darrah of Carroll County said, “I made my choice months ago. It was right after Mr. Trump announced.” Donald Trump, a real estate developer from New York City, ended up winning the Republican primary in New Hampshire by a wide margin.

Terry Johnson of North Conway took much longer to decide. When asked when she had made up her mind, she said, “Today!”  According to a survey conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, 54 percent of Republicans and 36 percent of Democrats were still undecided on Primary Day.

Kaitlin in front of a minivan that the owner transformed into a rolling billboard for Cruz

“A BRIGHTER FUTURE”

Since so many voters remained undecided, several candidates were still on the campaign trail on Primary Day, looking for last-minute support. I caught up with Republican Senator Ted Cruz outside a diner in Manchester. “We can have a brighter future, a brighter tomorrow for our kids and for our grandkids,” he said.

In the course of my reporting, I encountered a largely unknown candidate, businessman Rocky De La Fuente of San Diego, California, who is running as a Democrat. “Kids are the most precious things we have,” he said. “They are our future. They are the future of the world.” I also met a “fringe” candidate named Vermin Supreme, who is running on a platform that would require all citizens to brush their teeth. He is also promising a free pony for everyone.

On the Democratic side of the New Hampshire Primary, Senator Bernie Sanders made big news by defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was once considered the frontrunner in the race. Supreme finished fourth, getting more votes statewide than former Governor Mike Huckabee, former Senator Rick Santorum, and former Governor George Pataki.

New Hampshire is only the beginning of a long road to the White House. Although the presidential candidates have now turned their attention to South Carolina and Nevada, I will be following the election process until New Hampshire votes again on November 8 in the general election.