The New Hampshire presidential primary could change the campaign season
The New Hampshire presidential primary is Tuesday and the campaign season could look different after the votes are tallied.
Nomination battles could be over for both parties if both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump win big.
The primary will also be the first test for Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips, who has spent millions of dollars of his own money in New Hampshire since announcing his candidacy in October.
Polls show Phillips is making an impact, but Biden, who isn’t even on the New Hampshire ballot, leads with 58%. Phillips has around 28% of the democratic votes in New Hampshire.
Political analysts aren’t sure what Phillips’ long-term effect will be on Biden’s candidacy.
“I just hope Dean Phillips is not going to do damage to the current president’s chances. That’s all I have to say. I am a fan of Dean Phillips but I just think he has made some unusual choices here and I’m not sure where he’s heading,” said former DFL State Senator Ember Reichgott-Junge.
“He’s been saying this thing publicly that everyone says privately and that is that Joe Biden is a flawed candidate and Democrats could lose because of that, but he’s not going to overtake Biden for the nomination,” added Brian McClung, the former communications director for former Governor Tim Pawlenty.
On the Republican side in New Hampshire, former president Trump is polling about 50% with Nikki Haley trailing by 14 points and Ron Desantis in distant third place.
If Trump wins big in New Hampshire, the Republican race could be over long before the Minnesota primary on March 5.
“Donald Trump has taken over the hearts and minds of the Republican base like no one we’ve seen at least since Ronald Reagan and those voters will stand with him no matter what and he takes advantage of that,” McClung said.
“If we don’t put the brakes on former President Trump in New Hampshire through Nikki Haley or independents he is going to be the nominee. And if he’s the nominee he could win because of the divisions in the Democratic party,” added Reichgott-Junge.