sailingaway
07-15-2011, 09:32 PM
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/13/iowas-ardor-for-bachmann-not-shared-in-new-hampshi/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
HILLSBORO, N.H. — Rep. Michele Bachmann leads the House Tea Party Caucus, but for New Hampshire tea partyers, Rep. Ron Paul appears to be the GOP presidential candidate of choice.
The congressman from Texas torched his competition in a straw poll of taxpayer activists.
Mr. Paul’s strong showing in the straw poll at last weekend’s Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers (CNHT) gathering is another reminder of how Mrs. Bachmann’s path to victory here is murkier than in Iowa, where her reputation as a religious conservative and tea party leader is proving to be a natural fit.
“I think she does have a problem,” said former Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican powerbroker in New Hampshire who said the winner of his state’s primary will need to break out of that mold. “In this race, you already have three or four people who’ve tried to gather a constituency that isn’t that large to begin with; it probably doesn’t break 20 to 25 percent of the electorate. So you have to get outside that constituency — especially in New Hampshire.”
HILLSBORO, N.H. — Rep. Michele Bachmann leads the House Tea Party Caucus, but for New Hampshire tea partyers, Rep. Ron Paul appears to be the GOP presidential candidate of choice.
The congressman from Texas torched his competition in a straw poll of taxpayer activists.
Mr. Paul’s strong showing in the straw poll at last weekend’s Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers (CNHT) gathering is another reminder of how Mrs. Bachmann’s path to victory here is murkier than in Iowa, where her reputation as a religious conservative and tea party leader is proving to be a natural fit.
“I think she does have a problem,” said former Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican powerbroker in New Hampshire who said the winner of his state’s primary will need to break out of that mold. “In this race, you already have three or four people who’ve tried to gather a constituency that isn’t that large to begin with; it probably doesn’t break 20 to 25 percent of the electorate. So you have to get outside that constituency — especially in New Hampshire.”