If the Democratic race has effectively narrowed to three top candidates and everyone else, elected officials in New Hampshire haven’t gotten the message
MANCHESTER, N.H. — If the Democratic race has narrowed to three top candidates and everyone else, elected officials here haven’t gotten the message: Some 95 percent of them, from members of the statehouse down to town party chiefs, have yet to pick a horse.
On a recent day in downtown Concord, the coffee shop across the street from the statehouse was teeming with Democratic campaign operatives meeting with potential endorsers. As that courtship drags out, campaigns have been forced to use young staffers to kick off traditional retail-politics events, instead of well-known headliners who can draw big crowds.By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time.
An unscientific survey of nearly two dozen New Hampshire Democratic insiders confirmed they’re overwhelmingly undecided in the primary. Only 2 of the 14 Democratic state senators and about 15 of 233 Democratic state representatives have backed a candidate among the 20 running. Democratic campaigns are expected to spend a record-breaking amount of money on the state race: as much as $150 million, according to an estimate by the state party, based on the cost of previous primaries.After Concord Mayor Jim Bouley endorsed Booker, for instance, at least one campaign reached out to national media outlets to point out he lobbies for 3M, a company involved in several lawsuits for allegedly tainting groundwater in the state. Bouley did not return a call for comment.
Anecdotally, some New Hampshire pols have said candidates have showered less attention on them and the state than they’re accustomed to. Meeting the donor and polling qualifications for Democratic debates has forced candidates to spend more time on a national strategy, they said. “No one has asked me to endorse, though there may be a good reason,” she said, pointing to some of her previous picks, such as Bruce Babbitt and Bob Kerrey.
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