As for the 2000 GOP primary in New Hampshire, it's important to remember the facts back then. On the Democrat side, Bradley had already flamed out and Gore basically had the Rat nomination already sewed up. Therefore, all the media interest, as well as the Independent voters' attention, was focused on the Republican side. McCain caught the wave at the right time and, taking advantage of a mediocre Bush effort in the state, won big. And let's face it, in 2000 McCain had amassed a pretty conservative voting record, including being strongly pro-life and mostly pro-gun. Now, he's waffled on the gun issue since then, but he's still (as far as I've heard) pro-life.
I repeat, in a primary where the winner might squeak by with 30% of the vote, every activist and every vote will be critical.
"""On the Democrat side, Bradley had already flamed out and Gore basically had the Rat nomination already sewed up""
Gore had it sown up after IA??? Hmmm interesting...it wasnt until his NH defeat that Bradley had flamed out....Again NH isnt the state it was in 1980...I could see Newt winning NH but only if McCain, Guliani and Mitt stayed in.