State reiterates value of its primary

CONCORD, N.H. - Defenders of New Hampshire’s enviable role in presidential politics paid tribute to the past Tuesday while warning other states not to interfere with its future as the first-in-the-nation primary state.

“New Hampshire’s primary is first because we were the first to truly recognize that direct citizen involvement in the nomination process makes for better presidential candidates and better presidents,” Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan said at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the state law that led to the modern presidential primary.

Though it would be decades before the candidates themselves appeared on ballots, the 1913 law written by farmer and Democratic Rep. Richard Bullock wrested control from party bosses by allowing voters to directly choose convention delegates.

Republican National Committeeman Steve Duprey said that kind of citizen engagement has been key to changing attitudes about New Hampshire, which has held the nation’s earliest presidential primaries since 1952.

Other states, he said, have gone “from dislike to suspicion to grudging acceptance, to now, a realization … that we do our job exceptionally well.

“In New Hampshire, it works because it’s simple.We let the people decide.”

By state law, New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner must set the primary at least seven days ahead of all similar contests. Other states have clamored for more of the action for decades.

But thanks to strict new penalties for states that try to vote out of order, Duprey said the New Hampshire primary is in better shape than ever, although he has learned that Arizona and Nevada may again try to skip ahead.

“That would be a very foolish move for Nevada,” Duprey said, adding that Arizona seems to be backing down.