Politics & Government

Data Says, Yes, New Hampshire Does Resemble The Nation: FITN 2020

Roundup: Palestinian org purchases billboard ads in Manchester; details about Friday's debate; where can you meet the candidates?

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New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary is down to the wire.
New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary is down to the wire. (Tony Schinella | Patch, Paula Tracy | InDepthNH.org )

CONCORD, NH — During the 2020 political season, issues concerning race, criminal justice, reparations, and access to opportunity have been discussed by many of the Democrats running for president. Criticism, though, has been bubbling under those discussions by some candidate, targeting both Iowa and New Hampshire, the first caucus and primary, for not being representative of what the nation looks like — specifically, around diversity. New Hampshire, according to the latest data, is 93.2 percent Caucasian while Iowa is 90.7 percent.

But many Democrats in New Hampshire have challenged this notion. They pointed to President Barack Obama's easy electoral wins in the 2008 and 2012 general elections, and even the Rev. Jesse Jackson's solid second place finish in 1988, as examples of voters in New Hampshire embracing candidates of color — even if 2020 candidates U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and Julian Castro never caught on. Republicans, meanwhile, have raised the point that Granite Staters have diversity of thought, income, and other dynamics.

However, the analysts at WalletHub.com have taken a look at data and gone even further and found that New Hampshire resembles the nation in numerous demographic categories.

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WalletHub.com says New Hampshire does resemble the nation in most categories. Credit: WalletHub.com.

The study, released Thursday, compared 31 different metrics — including gender, age, race, family makeup, poverty and income, benefits, employment, education, and other data — and found that New Hampshire has a resemblance index of just shy of 82 percent with the United States. New Hampshire has a population of 1.36 million people that is "largely rural," like most of the nation, but "relatively tiny and demographically homogeneous." And yes, the state is the fourth most Caucasian state (behind West Virginia, Maine, and Vermont) compared to a nation that is 76.5 percent. So it wouldn't seem to be like much of the rest of the nation. But other than race and religion, which weighed down the results, New Hampshire closely mirrors the nation in many other categories.

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"But when a state is reduced to a couple of general traits, the reason for its importance becomes less discernible," wrote Adam McCann, a writer with the site.

Most of the categories showed New Hampshire to be anywhere from 70 to 99.5 percent equal with the rest of the country. Race was at 41.3 percent. The religion categories such as composition, belief in God, and importance of spirituality in one's life, were all in the 60 percent range.

According to WalletHub.com last week, Iowa was slightly higher than New Hampshire, with an 89 percent match.

McCann also said New Hampshire is a reliable bellwether of political outcomes, too.

"The New Hampshire primary routinely invites a storm of media attention both for what some criticize as 'unfairly' holding the earliest position in the primary-election cycle," he wrote, "(while) reliably forecasting the Democratic and GOP nominees — with 60 and 80 percent accuracy, respectively."

Read the full study on WalletHub.com.

Debate Time: 8 p.m. Friday On WMUR-TV

The next debate before voters go to the polls in the first-in-the-nation primary will air on WMUR-TV 9 and is co-sponsored by ABC News and Apple News. The debate will be held at the Sullivan Arena at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. Moderators include Linsey Davis, Monica Hernandez, David Muir, Adam Sexton, and George Stephanopoulos.

The seven candidates who have qualified for the debate are former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

The DNC announced that it was eliminating the donation criteria which will allow Michael Bloomberg to potentially gain access to debates later this month.

Where Can We Meet The Candidates?

If you're wondering if candidate events seem to be a bit slim, you're not alone. Compared to past years, where the week before the primary is a flurry of activity for the candidates, a lot of them seem to be limited in their availability, access, and interaction with voters.

As an example, on Thursday, Biden didn't have a single event in the state. The campaign said he was meeting with advisors.

While a lot of the candidates will be on the debate stage Friday and are doing some prep, others aren't. But events will pickup during the weekend.

On Friday, Sanders will be at Saint Anselm College participating in the Politics and Eggs breakfast at 8 a.m.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet hosts a town hall in Laconia at the public library on North Main Street at 4:30 p.m.

At 6 p.m., former Mass. Gov. William Weld hosts a town hall at Colby-Sawyer College at Clements Hall on Main Street.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will be at a town hall at the VFW Hall in Somersworth on High Street at 6 p.m.

Former Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick will be at UNH, in the Huddleston Ballroom, at 7 p.m. to speak about college affordability.

On Saturday, Warren will be in Concord at NHTI at 8 a.m. speaking about rights and the courts. Buttigieg will speak at 8:30 a.m. and Yang will attend at 9 a.m. Patrick speaks at 10:30 a.m. while Klobuchar speaks at 11 a.m.

Weld will host a town hall meeting at 10:30 a.m. in New Boston at the Whipple Free Library on Mont Vernon Road.

Buttigieg holds a rally at the Young Student Center at Keene State College on Blake Street at 11 a.m.

Steyer canvasses in Manchester at 1 Perimeter Road at noon.

Klobuchar hosts a rally at Huddleston Hall at UNH at 1 p.m.

In Manchester, Warren will kickoff a canvass at Manchester Community College on Front Street at 1 p.m.

Sanders will hold a town hall at the Rochester Opera House on Wakefield Street at 1:30 p.m.

Weld will be at the Keene Public Library for a town hall meeting at 2 p.m.

Yang will be at Nashua Community College on Amherst Street at 3:30 p.m. for a town hall meeting.

Bennet will be in Manchester at a town hall meeting at the Sweeney Post in Manchester.

Gabbard will be at the Elks Lodge in Rochester at Columbus Avenue at 5 p.m. for a town hall.

A number of the candidates will be attending the McIntyre-Shaheen Dinner at the SNHU Arena at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Patrick Speaks About Healing

Last week, Patrick was in Concord and Patch spent a few minutes with him speaking about the state of his campaign and what he can do, if elected, to bring the nation together. Watch.

Palestine Org Pitches Human Rights

The Palestine Advocacy Project has paid for two billboard ads in Manchester trying to raise awareness among voters and presidential candidates.

The first billboard shows Mohammed, a young Palestinian boy, standing in the rubble of his home in Gaza, after it was bombed by the Israeli military, the org said. The second billboard shows a woman, Samah, standing in the rubble of her home.

"As Americans and people of conscience, we cannot accept our government’s ongoing attacks against Palestinian human rights and basic liberties," said Clare Maxwell, a board member of Palestine Advocacy Project. "That’s why we demand the Democratic Party and its nominee for President take a stand for Palestinian rights and reverse decades of inhumane policy that have culminated in the horrors of the Trump presidency."

A billboard in Manchester for the primary. Credit: Clare Maxwell

Read more in this post: Why Did We Put a Billboard in NH On the Eve of the First Primary in 2020.

Primary Day Hotline

If you notice any weirdness at the polls, see voting rights abuses, discrimination, intimidation, or any other issues, a primary day hotline has been setup by U.S. Attorney Scott Murray for complaints: 603-230-2503. The line will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Information can also be found online at usdoj.gov/usao/nh.

The Secretary of State's Office will also have an on-site space for campaigns and the media in case "a significant circumstance arises that requires immediate and ongoing communication," according to Jessica Eskeland of the NH SOS's Office. Space in the Executive Council Chambers and the anteroom behind Representatives' Hall, both on the second floor, will be available from noon until 8 p.m.

Previous #FITN2020 Coverage

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