Democrats draw bigger crowds, more donors, more energy than Republicans in New Hampshire

[DeepModem Mom]

Boston Globe: Democrats press advantage in N.H.
GOP luring fewer donors, smaller crowds
By Susan Milligan and James W. Pindell, Globe Correspondent
May 31, 2007

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Democratic presidential candidates are drawing bigger crowds, more donors, and more energy from the New Hampshire electorate than Republican hopefuls are, a sign to officials in both parties of a lack of enthusiasm for the current GOP field and a tired state Republican Party still reeling from a historic defeat in November.

New Hampshire Republicans, who lost control of both chambers of the state Legislature and both US House seats last fall, are showing only moderate interest in the 10 GOP presidential candidates who have trooped to their state.

Democratic candidates for the 2008 nomination, meanwhile, have had to issue tickets to campaign events to accommodate large crowds, and are already conducting statewide canvassing efforts usually unheard of at this early stage of the campaign. Average donations to Democratic contenders from New Hampshire residents are also higher and more numerous, according to campaign finance records.

"The enthusiasm is definitely on the Democrats' side, still. I don't think there has been any change in the environment up here since the election last year," said former US representative Charles Bass, a Republican who lost his seat in the Democratic wave in November.

Republican activists and independent analysts note that early interest does not always translate into votes. Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, for example, are attracting large audiences in part because of the curiosity the state electorate has for celebrity candidates, noted Dean Spiliotes, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in Manchester.

But Democratic campaigns are reporting unprecedented turnouts at events at this stage of the campaign, as party activists seek to build on the gains they made last year....

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/05/31/democrats_press_advantage_in_nh/

[Warpy]

1. I wonder when the Beltway Democrats are going to notice this

and start listening to what these large and generous crowds are telling them.

Oh, right, they're all DLC and they know what's best for the party.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Thank you, George W. Bush.

"We hate you...We really hate you!"

[aquart]

3. NH Republicans should be in jail. Thieves and cheats.

[bamacrat]

4. Not really shocking, we are the fun party, they are just boring old rich white men.

yawn