Primary evidence: Signs of early presidential campaigns cropping up in N.H.

By John Basilesco , Staff Writer

The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, MA)

...While New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is still a long way off, aspiring candidates have been making stops in the state as far back as December 2004, when Sen. John Kerry, who lost to President George Bush in the 2004 election, returned to thank his supporters here...

Aspiring Republican presidential candidates who have already visited the Granite State include former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, U.S. Sen. John McCain, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and John Cox, a lesser known Republican candidate who has visited New Hampshire nine times this year.

"This campaign cycle has started especially early because of the wide open nature of both presidential primaries," said Dante Scala, a professor of politics at St. Anselm College in Manchester. "There's no clear successor to President Bush, which leaves the field wide open on both sides."

That means earlier than normal campaigning...

Potential '08 presidential candidates who have visited New Hampshire:

• U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D)


• John Cox (R)


• U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd (D)


• Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards (D)


• Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R)


• U.S. Sen. John McCain (R)


• U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D)*


• New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D)


• Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R)

* Scheduled to appear in Manchester on Dec. 10