POLL: Can Anyone Beat Hillary?

Vote in our poll, and share your thoughts in the comments field below.

It's still very, very early, but to this point, it looks like Hillary Clinton is almost a lock for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. A Quinnipiac University poll released this week had her with 65 percent of her party's support, with Vice President Joe Biden a distant second at just 13 percent. Polls of New Hampshire voters by Public Policy Polling and the University of New Hampshire Survey Center have shown similar results. Clinton also fares well in potential match-ups with top Republican presidential contenders like Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and Chris Christie. She leads Paul 52 to 41 percent and Rubio 52 to 38 percent in New Hampshire, according to PPP. That begs the question: Is there anyone who stands a chance against Clinton…

•  42 Comments
• Photos (1)

Rand Paul, Hillary Clinton Leading the Way in NH

They are the early frontrunners for the 2016 New Hampshire Primary, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey.

Rand Paul is leading the way in New Hampshire among potential 2016 GOP presidential contenders, according to a Public Policy Polling survey released today. Paul leads the field at 28 percent, followed by Marco Rubio at 25 percent, Chris Christie at 14 percent, Jeb Bush and Paul Ryan at 7 percent each, Rick Santorum at 4 percent, Susana Martinez at 3 percent and Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal at 1 percent apiece. Paul appears to be following in his father's footsteps in the Granite State. Ron Paul finished second to eventual Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the 2012 New Hampshire Primary. Rand Paul's 28 percent showing is a huge jump, as he was polling at just 4 percent here as recently as November. Paul is scheduled to be in New Hampshire …

•  31 Comments
• Photos (1)

Proud Conservative

9:09 am on Monday, April 29, 2013

Atlant - give it a rest. All you do on here is post negative responses to other commenters - critical, derogatory, negative responses. You offer very little in the way of positive comments. All anyone has to do is read though the history of your posts and they get a pretty clear picture of just who and what you are.   more ›

Will NH Ron Paul Supporters 'Stand with Rand'?

Local liberty-minded groups and politicians say Rand Paul represents their values.

Stories of 2012: The Year of the Election

Join us as we count down the top stories of the year.

Merrimack Patch has it's first full year in the books and what a year it's been! We re-elected President Barack Obama to another four years, and hey, the Mayan apocalypse didn't happen, so congratulations, we're all still here. From the opening of the Merrimack Premium Outlets to another Halloween storm that cut power to thousands for days, there's been no shortage of news in town. We've seen businesses and residents in the community doing wonderful things to support their neighbors and communities as far away as Haiti. There's been business growth, and sadly a few closures. There have been exciting moments in sports with the boys varsity basketball state championship, the baseball team playing, but unfortunately losing their state …

• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Why Frank Guinta Lost My Vote

Lifelong Republican explains why he won't vote for incumbent congressman this election.

To the Editor, Since the August recess is traditionally the time when members of Congress return home to their districts to hear their constituents’ concerns, I’ve been anxious to speak to my Congressman about issues important to me, like making college education affordable for my two children when they graduate high school next year. I saw in the Merrimack Patch that Guinta would be making an appearance at JCI Chemical on Monday, Aug. 13, I called ahead to confirm that constituents were welcome to attend, so I drove from Bedford to see him and ask my question.  When I arrived at the gate, I called again and asked to be let inside, whereupon my entry was refused. I was told the event was private, and that the Congressman was “around …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Primary Patch

Gingrich to End Presidential Campaign

NH resurrected Gingrich's campaign in late 2011, but the mountain was too steep.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will end his presidential campaign next week, The Associated Press is reporting. The news comes amid reports his campaign is saddled with debt, and it comes after a failure to win over the delegates he had eyed. In New Hampshire in mid-2011, Gingrich had a small following at various campaign stops. By late in the year, however, his experience and charisma won over a following. Perhaps the crowning event in the first primary state was his Lincoln Douglas-styled debate, one-on-one, with Jon Huntsman.   

• Photos (1)

Primary Patch

Protesters to Greet Romney in NH

Various groups, including some Liberty and Occupy members, plan to be outside Romney's event tonight in Manchester.

Mitt Romney plans a highly choreographed return to New Hampshire tonight to refit his primary campaign with general election racing stripes. But even after he's expected to rack up more delegates in five states voting today, some Ron Paul supporters and others plan to protest outside the Romney event in Manchester that he's "not even close" to capturing the nomination. Here is one message on a Facebook page posted to crash the party: "Mitt Romney is skipping all the voting states to be in NH on Tuesday, April 24th. He is holding an event he calls 'A Better America Begins Tonight' in which many are speculating he may declare himself the Republican nominee. Others speculate he may name his VP at this event.  Democrats have already organized …

•  15 Comments
• Photos (4)

Santorum Suspends Campaign

NH co-chair will support Romney, but a Tea Party leader says Romney won't get his vote.

The former U.S. senator who built the case as the conservative alternative to Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign. Rick Santorum's New Hampshire supporters were saddened by the news Tuesday, but proud to have stood with him. Daniel Tamburello, a state co-chairman for Santorum, said Santorum made a good case for being the conservative choice. Ultimately, Tamburello said, Santorum will have made Romney a stronger candidate in the general election. "That whole campaign is testament to the fact that Rick is a genuine human being," Tamburello said in a phone interview with Patch. "When people talked to Rick, looked into this eyes, they believed what he said." Santorum made the decision after taking a break…

•  9 Comments
• Photos (1)

Tony Schinella

3:03 pm on Wednesday, April 11, 2012

I think he quit too early. I know everyone is saying that he didn't want to lose his home state and maybe he will run in 2016, but his time was really now. That said, clearly the health of Bella had a role in the decision.   more ›

Senate Passes Voter Photo ID Bill

The plan now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

One would have to flash a photo identification card before voting under a bill the state Senate passed today. Sen. Russell Prescott, R-Kingston, is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 289. Sponsors noted the bill has the support of Secretary of State William Gardner and the NH City and Town Clerks' Association. Here's the roll call and docket for the bill. Republicans hailed the bill as overdue action, citing the James O'Keefe voter fraud videos during the New Hampshire Presidential Primary in January. "Voters are rightly outraged by the reports of voter fraud during our First-in-the-Nation Primary," said Wayne MacDonald, chairman of the Republican State Committee. He criticized Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, for vetoing a photo ID voter bill …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

VIDEO: The NH Primary Matters

Campaign managers talked about the state of the New Hampshire Primary.

It seems like so long ago, but New Hampshire was in the national spotlight in the presidential race last month. Campaign managers from the top six Republican presidential campaigns took a look back at the 2012 New Hampshire Primary in a forum discussion on Wednesday, moderated by WMUR's James Pindell. The panel was held Wednesday at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. It included Jim Merrill of the Mitt Romney campaign, Andrew Hemingway of the Newt Gingrich campaign, Jared Chicoine of the Ron Paul campaign, Mike Biundo of the Rick Santorum campaign, Kerry Marsh of the Rick Perry campaign, and Sarah Crawford Stewart of the Jon Huntsman campaign. Some of these campaign staffers disagreed on whether or not the …

• Videos (1)