For Candidates, NH Looms as Moving Target

In New Hampshire, the accent is on the "New." In recent years, the state has gone from blue collar to white, drawing left-leaning “swamp yuppies” to the traditionally right-leaning state, McClatchy reports. Couple that with "Live Free or Die" Republicans' frustration with the increasingly socially conservative GOP, and the only thing unchanged is the state’s legendary unpredictability.

Since 2002, the state has registered 45,000 new Democrats to just 2,800 new Republicans. Democrats control both House seats and the governor’s mansion. “It’s changed,” said one GOP strategist. “Now, it’s a swing state.” But independents are more powerful than either party: Undeclared voters, who can vote in either primary, make up 44% of the electorate. (More New Hampshire primary stories.)