What we learned from months on the ground before New Hampshire’s primary
NBC News spoke to hundreds of New Hampshire voters to understand how the state was thinking about 2024. Here are six big takeaways before Tuesday's primary.
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has called New Hampshire voters “presidential wine tasters” for their insistence on meeting candidates in person, sometimes repeatedly, before they consider voting for them.
On Tuesday, those voters will make their 2024 presidential picks, and what they saw on the trail and how they made their decisions will tell us a lot about American politics for the rest of a big election year.
NBC News has spoken to hundreds of New Hampshire voters over seven months to understand how some of the most openly strategic participants in the presidential race are thinking through 2024 right now. Here are six big takeaways about the race.
Former President Donald Trump has had a consistent lead in New Hampshire. His percentages were largely in the 40s to 50s last year, as when the University of New Hampshire poll clocked him at 47% in July. Most recently, according to a CNN/UNH poll released Sunday, he was at 50%, double digits ahead of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
His base in New Hampshire, like elsewhere, is loyal. Kevin Cole, a machinist, said: “I’m still leaning towards Trump. I couldn’t honestly tell you why, other than his last term was good for my family. We already have experience with Trump and what he can do for the economy.”
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