Over at Graph Paper Diaries there is some analysis on New Hampshire once being strongly Republican and now being a swing state, mostly Democrat. My audience from around the country may not be that intrigued, but those from New England might be.
I can remember when New Hampshire was the locus of the Free State Project (IIRC the name), where Libertarians were going to move there in sufficient numbers to turn it their way. I gather they failed.
I've got a Laconia Born business partner and he and I both agree that the Democratic voters in NH are largely rural residents and retirees. The decline of the forest industries left many towns without an economic base leaving many on government aid which is a natural source of Democrats. The retirees are divorced from the local economy for the most part and are sensitive to road and bridge maintenance and also the green impulse to prevent further development.
The downstate workers are still receptive to low government taxes, thus support republicans.
I can remember when New Hampshire was the locus of the Free State Project (IIRC the name), where Libertarians were going to move there in sufficient numbers to turn it their way. I gather they failed.
ReplyDeleteNo the Porcupines are here. They've won some local offices. But they attracted too many nutcases and mostly just irritate people.
ReplyDeleteI've got a Laconia Born business partner and he and I both agree that the Democratic voters in NH are largely rural residents and retirees. The decline of the forest industries left many towns without an economic base leaving many on government aid which is a natural source of Democrats. The retirees are divorced from the local economy for the most part and are sensitive to road and bridge maintenance and also the green impulse to prevent further development.
ReplyDeleteThe downstate workers are still receptive to low government taxes, thus support republicans.