[MplsSteve]

Given NH’s contrarian primary voting, you’re right.

But hasn’t Romney spent a lot of time and money trying to sew up NH to prevent exactly that from happening?

[Dr. Sivana]

Given NH’s contrarian primary voting, you’re right.

But hasn’t Romney spent a lot of time and money trying to sew up NH to prevent exactly that from happening?

Yes. And so did Malcolm "Steve" Forbes and Bob Dole (who certainly did not like being embarrassed by PAT BUCHANAN in NH).

This year is different, because it is the first truly open Republican race in that there is neither a sitting prez/vp on the ticket, nor will the opponents be running one. In years where an incumbent is the presumptive opponent, top talent decides not to get involved. Clinton saw Bush the Elder's weakness, other, more likely candidates did not, so they did not even get in the race.