GOP candidates are converging on New Hampshire.
The 17-day window to file as a candidate for president opens Wednesday.
Mike Pence will be the first to file. He will be on the second floor of the NH State House building at 8:45 on Friday, October 13. I hope to be in the room with him. Four years ago, when he filed on behalf of the Trump-Pence ticket, citizens could not get near him. Secret Service had everything blocked off with police cars and barricade fencing. He came up the back stairs and was in and out in five minutes. It might be that way again. As a former VP he has Secret Service protection and the threats on him from fellow-Republicans are more salient now than they were four years ago when he got cheers. Trump is calling Pence a RINO, a traitor, and an enemy of the people. I am curious to see how Pence is handling his personal safety. Attending the Pence filing -- whatever it turns out to be -- is easy. There is plenty of free parking on the street right at the Statehouse. The state capital, Concord, is an easy freeway drive from Manchester, the population center of the state.
In previous cycles the candidate showing up, paying $1,000, and signing the affidavit stating that he is a member of the party in which he is running -- the requirements for being on the ballot -- is an excuse for a media event. There is typically a crush of supporters and media at the tiny corner office and the hallways outside it. Then the candidate gives a speech either on the Statehouse steps or the front lawn. Then supporters gather across the street at a restaurant.
Here is what Amy Klobuchar's filing crowd looked like four years ago. It is typical for what I have seen in prior cycles for John Kasich, Chris Christie, Bob Bennett, Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, and Bernie Sanders.
There is a "First in the Nation Summit" event taking place on Friday and Saturday. This event, and the filing window, draw a concentration of candidates to New Hampshire.
Nikki Haley has scheduled town Halls in Rochester and Exeter. Doug Burgum has a speech at Dartmouth College. Asa Hutchinson will address a school assembly at Manchester Central High School. Vivek Ramaswamy has several Town Halls and then a "Vektoberfest” rally at the Bedford Sportsplex in Bedford. Chris Christie has a town hall at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Merrimack. I will attend all these. I expect more events to fill in. Trump is not on the schedule for the Leadership Event. He will speak at a rally in Wolfboro later today. Trump avoids multi-candidate events. He is the GOP star, and he doesn't want to share his audience. No need to give media oxygen to opponents.
I wear a "Media" lanyard around my neck sometimes at events. Media always gets a seat, but those are at the back at events, so they can view both the candidate and the audience. The best seats are for voters. People arriving early can sit up front. I am a voter and I fit the profile and demographic of a stalwart Republican voter and Fox viewer: White, male, a senior. I fit in. I get better conversations with Republicans if they think of me as a fellow citizen and kindred spirit, not "media." I listen and nod.
My posts for the next two weeks may be ragged and inconsistent. I will have lots to describe but may not have time to get a post written.
Peter, since the demise of the Medford Tribune I have added RV Times, Oregonian and the Daily Courier and you to my morning readings. I look forward to yours the most. Keep up the excellent commentary and keep the heat on local issues and candidates when you get back from NH..
I look forward to reading your take on RFK, Jr. If he has the diverse support he seems to be gaining, it shows a general dissatisfaction with the parties on both sides. He just might force people to think more about the issues and less about partisan differences.