What isn’t surprising is that this first-in-the-nation presidential primary state is living up to its reputation for keeping front-runners on edge. The heavily favored Democratic candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, finds herself having to grind it out here to fend off the insurgent liberal candidacy of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
But if what is happening in the Democratic race is familiar, the contours of the Republican race are unprecedented, with New Hampshire playing host to the most wide-open and least stratified GOP primary in the modern era.
Of the party’s 16 declared or likely candidates, nine are competing aggressively here, and most are depending on a strong finish. This makes New Hampshire not just a high-stakes enterprise, but one that is as strategically challenging as anyone here can remember.
