If you're hoping to do some candidate shopping on the last weekend before Christmas, you're in luck. The next few days will be a veritable presidential primary bonanza across the state.
Most political watchers in New Hampshire will turn their eyes towards St. Anselm College, where the three Democratic candidates will debate at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics Saturday evening.
The Democratic National Committee decided last week to drop WMUR as a local sponsor of the debate because of a labor dispute at the station. Some lamented the move as symbolic of a lesser role for early-voting state's in this year's contest.
But the party’s debate schedule had provoked grumbling even earlier, though, from critics who said the relatively small number of debates (six) and the scheduling of the New Hampshire forum on the Saturday before Christmas seemed designed to limit opportunities for lesser-known candidates.
Still, the debate will go on tomorrow. And there’s plenty of politicking to be had elsewhere in New Hampshire this weekend, particularly on the Republican side.
Jeb Bush will be busy Saturday, with campaign stops in Hopkinton, Exeter, and Windham. He’ll wrap up with an evening town hall style event at Nashua Community College.
Chris Christie also has a packed Saturday. He’s campaigning with Maine Governor Paul LePage at a car repair place in Exeter, a Derry tavern, and a Bedford middle school.
He’ll be in Manchester and Peterborough on Sunday, with more stops on Monday.
Lindsey Graham will make stops on Manchester and Londonderry Saturday.
Ben Carson and John Kasich will criss-cross the state on Sunday. Carson is holding town hall meetings in Nashua and Keene. Kasich will hold house parties in Manchester and Portsmouth.
Marco Rubio returns to the state Monday, for a couple of days of North Country campaigning in Berlin, Bartlett and Littleton.
And Democrat Martin O’Malley will follow up Saturday night’s debate with a few days of Granite State campaigning, starting with a town hall meeting in Hopkinton Sunday morning.
