Huge Crowds Across State
WINDHAM, New Hampshire -- Granite State voters present an easy target for presidential candidates. About 80% of the state's population is wedged into the southern third of the state, meaning a huge percentage of New Hampshire voters are within an easy half hour drive of Manchester, the state's largest city.
As hopefuls fan out across the state in search of votes today, thousands of voters are spending the final Sunday before the primary to take a last look at their favorite candidates. A crowd interested in seeing Mike Huckabee was supposed to enjoy clam chowder from the Lobster Tail, but Huckabee's newfound celebrity status required he move to the elementary school gymnasium here in Windham. About 500 people showed up to see Huckabee, conservative columnist Star Parker and Chuck Norris, with people still looking for parking an hour after the event started.
Hillary Clinton drew a crowd her campaign said measured at 3500 to Nashua High School, where Barack Obama saw a similar-sized crowd yesterday. Obama held a rally in Manchester today that topped out at 900 attendees with hundreds stranded outside because the venue had reached capacity. John McCain hosted 1100 at a town hall meeting in Salem, his campaign said.
Given expected good weather on Tuesday -- temperatures will reach nearly 60 degrees -- and heavy voter interest, New Hampshire could follow Iowa's lead and turn out a record number of voters. Campaigns each have their turnout models and vote goals, but if Iowa was any indication, revisions upward are likely in the cards.



