New Hampshire is a very independent minded state. The “Granite State” was the first colony to declare independence from England. Since those colonial times the state has taken taxation seriously. Their license plates proudly boast, “Live Free or Die”. Every four years those who come to court New Hampshire must win over the masses of independents in the state and this election cycle is no different. There is an interesting dynamic however going into tomorrow’s first in the nation primary. The independents are flowing toward Barack Obama. If he was not running, those same independents would surely vote for John McCain.  In this primary, the electorate is turning blue; blue as in Democratic. The loser may well not only be Hillary Clinton but also John McCain. He is in a hotly contested race against the former governor in the neighboring state of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney and McCain have historically received support from independents. The phenomenon known as Obamamania is serving like a vacuum cleaner for those votes. McCain is currently polling above Romney but if the Senator from Arizona should end up losing in New Hampshire he can blame someone not in the Republican primary, Barack Obama. This is one surge that McCain surely doesn’t support.

New Hampshire is Turning Blue