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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Swing State Battleground: Hillsborough, New Hampshire

Graham Clark, Byron Tseng |
November 4, 2012 | 9:29 p.m. PST

Staff Contributors

Graham Clark & Byron Tseng/Neon Tommy
Graham Clark & Byron Tseng/Neon Tommy

 

 

 

 

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The Granite State’s political turmoil far exceeds its size. From the first primaries to the final harried days of presidential campaigning the citizens of New Hampshire have created a quarrelsome rancor worthy of international attention. 

The GOP raised a whopping $1,098,000 in the state over the course of 2012’s presidential campaign, more than twice the cash collected by Democrats. President Obama attempted to augment his outstripped economic efforts by visiting the state’s capital with Bill Clinton on Sunday. 

Within Hillsborough, a county containing a third of the state's residents, voters are nearly evenly divided. As is the case in most of New Hampshire, polling data suggests voters could go for either candidate. Firsthand reports from folks on the ground indicate that’s still the case.

One prominent citizen in the region is Plymouth State professor Stephen Gorin, who plunked down $2,000 on his candidate of choice. He described the atmosphere in the county as "exciting." Gorin can't wait to get to the polls and vote for the incumbent who he thinks will win the state again. As a professor of Gerontology and social work, he sides with Obama.

"You have to put your money where your mouth is," he said. Gorin points to an aging population in need of the Affordable Healthcare Act. He stated his belief that Obama, "is the best man for the job. I will need these programs too since I am aging."

Restaurateur Steve Williams offered another street-level view. His establishment “Unums” serves up filet mignon, seafood coippino and pomegranate cocktails in downtown Nashua, New Hampshire. In honor of Nov. 6, he also offers no-nonsense political opinions. 

“We all love Romney," Williams said in a phone interview. "It's only irritating when Obama comes with his ads.”

He believes the state’s voters are divided because, "a lot of Democrats from Massachusetts moved to New Hampshire to avoid sales tax." 

Williams does business with Chinese companies, a fact that directly influences his political reasoning. He thinks that Romney is in a position to well work with China if awarded the presidency.

"He knows how to deal with China, having done business with them. Obama was never in the private sector and doesn't understand how run a business," Williams said. 

Outside of America, Williams thinks that China supports Obama as to maintain the status quo, saying, "Romney is the candidate to change that." Romney has stated in the debates that he will label China a currency manipulator if he enters office.

Being untethered to a concrete party affiliation is only fitting for the state, whose “Live Free Or Die” motto is inscribed on all license plates. Although it may not compare in stature with larger swing states, such as Ohio and Florida, the four Electoral College votes up for grabs in the Northeast may determine the future of America.

Click throughout the map below for more reports from battleground counties:

Follow Byron on Twitter here, follow Graham here.

Contact Neon Tommy here.



 

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