NH's small size belies its political power

Associated Press

HOLLY RAMER, Associated Press

Updated: Oct 8, 2012 2:39 PM

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Tiny New Hampshire has fewer Electoral College votes than any other swing state, but in an era of close presidential races, both parties' candidates have long had it on their target lists.

That's because despite being known as "the Granite State," there's nothing solid about New Hampshire's political landscape.

Nearly 40 percent of registered voters don't align themselves with the Democrats or the Republicans. The state also has been shifting from reliably Republican to Democrat-tilting bellwether since Democrat Bill Clinton won it in 1992.

In 2004, New Hampshire was the only state to flip from Republican to Democrat.

Democrat Barack Obama won the state in 2008, but Republicans have made huge gains since then. They reclaimed New Hampshire's second congressional seat in 2010 while winning commanding majorities at the Statehouse.

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