37 days until New Hampshire
A crowd of voters at a recent New Hampshire rally for Nikki Haley didn't resemble the typical attendees: They didn't have their minds made up. Haley asked the crowd how many of them had heard her speak before, as if taking a survey for herself.
For Paste BN Congress and campaigns reporter Karissa Waddick, this felt like a pivotal moment in her coverage of the 2024 presidential election so far. As a reporter based in New Hampshire, she had interviewed many decided voters. But this time, these Americans were only just beginning to tune in to the competition. This shift marked a broadening of the race and a heightening of the stakes in a small state.
👋 Nicole Fallert here and welcome to Your Week, our newsletter exclusively for Paste BN subscribers (that's you!). This week we talk with Waddick about her reporting on 2024 from New Hampshire, a state in the crosshairs of a pivotal election.
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Why does New Hampshire matter?
New Hampshire has played a bellwether role in presidential elections, but it has nothing to do with the tiny state's small roster of delegates. The difference is the state's first-in-the-nation primary, which takes place Jan. 23 and sets the rest of the campaign in momentum, Waddick said.
"It's one of the first states we hear exactly from the voters about how they feel," she said. "It'll be really pivotal to understanding how people are feeling."
While New Hampshire isn't an assured test for how the rest of the primaries will go, the state is an indicator of whom voters want to see in the general election next fall. The "stakes are high," Waddick said, so candidates have visited to the state regularly to connect with them and make an impression. This is different from candidates' approach to other states, she said, with "candidates 1-1 with voters."
A lot goes into covering New Hampshire ahead of the primary, Waddick says. She is the "eyes (seeing) what these interactions actually look like," she said. Waddick's job involves a "lot of running around" she said, from town halls to high schools to local businesses. But her focus remains the voter, she said. In the coming weeks, she'll be looking for one thing: "if any of these candidates can pull ahead of Trump, and what it would take to pull ahead in only a month and a half. Will the party coalesce behind one alternative?"
Thank you
I'm grateful for Karissa's fearless reporting from New Hampshire, which brings unique insight to Paste BN readers every day. Thank you for supporting our journalism with your subscription. Our work wouldn't be possible without you.
Best wishes,
Nicole Fallert