I’ve asked a few of my friends who support other candidates to write a few paragraphs describing their primary day experience in New Hampshire.
Below is a guest commentary by Kate Connolly, a fellow senior and College Republican at Providence College.
The second I crossed over the New Hampshire border from Massachusetts on January 8 I knew that I had entered a political world on fire with passion and energy for its moment in the national spotlight. I have been supporting Gov. Mike Huckabee since back in May when most of the time my response to the question, “Who are you supporting for president?” had to be followed by an explanation of who exactly this Huckabee guy was. I couldn’t be prouder to enter New Hampshire half a year later to support the candidate whom people flocked to in defiance of pundits, pollsters, and the weight of the millions of dollars outspent him by his opponents.From the start I’ve seen in Mike Huckabee qualities which money cannot buy: a genuine compassion for people rooted in his own humble upbringing that leads him to relate to the working-class Americans unlike any other Republican in the field, innovative ideas on domestic policy that combine fiscal responsibility with common sense analysis of the needs of the people, authentic and consistent social conservatism, and a charisma that rivals that of Bill Clinton. I think that it is these qualities which propelled Mike Huckabee’s once-thought-impossible commanding first place finish in Iowa and his third place victory in New Hampshire despite having campaigned very little in the state. Some political analysts propose that Huckabee’s victory in Iowa was chiefly dependent on the support of evangelical Christians who were far less populous in New Hampshire. Yet the sense on the ground from Huckabee supporters in New Hampshire was that such an analysis was only a continuation of the media’s underestimation of Gov Huckabee.Looking ahead to upcoming primaries, Huckabee enjoys top and near top polling numbers not only in states like South Carolina with high evangelical populations, but also in a wide array of other states where Huckabee has done little campaigning and where the evangelical population is small. As supporters confidently and enthusiastically rallied around Gov Huckabee in New Hampshire, there was a wide sense that Huckabee’s appeal is much more broad-based than many guess. Considering that I spent Primary Tuesday holding Huckabee signs with young people, working-class people, fiscal conservatives, older people, middle-aged men and women, a libertarian-leaning woman who was sympathetic to Ron Paul’s positions but fully backing Huckabee, a Richardson supported who sounded like she was ready to lay down her own sign and pick up one of ours any second, my grandmother- a lifelong democrat who crossed party lines only once before to cast her ballot for Ronald Reagan, and two young boys who wouldn’t let their parents leave the voting booths until they had made the final decision to vote Huckabee instead of McCain and then proceeded to stand in the cold for an hour to get Gov Huckabee’s autograph, I think the message of Huckabee’s wide appeal might just be what carries him from these first two strong showings to many more. Huckabee supporters are used to having our candidate as an underdog and so are not foolish enough to become arrogant after a couple of wins, but having seen our candidate already accomplish what was once thought impossible, we’re daring enough to Hope.
