Why is New Hampshire so "purple"?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Half the population of the state live in the two southernmost counties, which are simply Boston Exurbhell.

The rest of the state has the same "ancestrally Republican but wouldn't touch what's become of that" mindset as Vermont (a state that has had far less inmigration) but doesn't vote as Democratically yet. Look at swing maps over the past few cycles. (Coos County in the far north is different again, and more like the frenchie bits of Maine.)

Unlike Vermont, the New Hampshire GOP, along with the state as a whole, was historically as conservative as any Western or Southern state.

New Hampshire was more Republican than Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, and the Dakotas in the 80s.

As recently as 1996, the New Hampshire primary gave an upset win to archconservative Patrick J. Buchanan over 'moderate' front-runner Bob Dole.

Plus the state was represented until 2003 by Senator Robert C. Smith, who survived the 1996 Clinton sweep and now writes editorials for the Constitution Party...

Prior to the 1960's it was the least Republican of the northern New England states which meant about 55% Republican (compared to ME which was about 60% and VT at 65%). In the 1960's the whole region begin to shift Democratic (1958 in Vermont was brutal for the GOP, declining %'s in ME, many dems won office in NH in the 1960's especially Senate and House).

New Hampshire broke away from the pattern in the Mid 70's and 80's as the GOP regained strength there while the other two slipped further away. The big demographic change was the influx of Boston exurbanites into Southern New Hampshire, which contrary to the claims of many right wing hacks who thing Boston just puked a bunch of libs accrossed Northern New England and shifted the region leftward, actually made New Hampshire more Republican in the late 70's, 80's and 90's.

Smith wouldn't have lasted and he would have been creamed in 2008 by 20 points had he survived the 2002 primary and general election (considering how close Shaheen was, that is very dubios prospect). Sununu was a much better fit for the state and his surprisingly strong performance in 2008 is a testament to that fact, considering how far down he was just a few months prior. Had he another month and 5% knocked off the Dem margin nationwide, Sununu probably would have won reelection. That said a Paleo-con would have a strong appeal in NH compared to other states for several reasons.

Of course the answer to that question is that 45% of the voters are independents.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Half the population of the state live in the two southernmost counties, which are simply Boston Exurbhell.

The rest of the state has the same "ancestrally Republican but wouldn't touch what's become of that" mindset as Vermont (a state that has had far less inmigration) but doesn't vote as Democratically yet. Look at swing maps over the past few cycles. (Coos County in the far north is different again, and more like the frenchie bits of Maine.)

Unlike Vermont, the New Hampshire GOP, along with the state as a whole, was historically as conservative as any Western or Southern state.

New Hampshire was more Republican than Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, and the Dakotas in the 80s.

As recently as 1996, the New Hampshire primary gave an upset win to archconservative Patrick J. Buchanan over 'moderate' front-runner Bob Dole.

Plus the state was represented until 2003 by Senator Robert C. Smith, who survived the 1996 Clinton sweep and now writes editorials for the Constitution Party...

Prior to the 1960's it was the least Republican of the northern New England states which meant about 55% Republican (compared to ME which was about 60% and VT at 65%). In the 1960's the whole region begin to shift Democratic (1958 in Vermont was brutal for the GOP, declining %'s in ME, many dems won office in NH in the 1960's especially Senate and House).

New Hampshire broke away from the pattern in the Mid 70's and 80's as the GOP regained strength there while the other two slipped further away. The big demographic change was the influx of Boston exurbanites into Southern New Hampshire, which contrary to the claims of many right wing hacks who thing Boston just puked a bunch of libs accrossed Northern New England and shifted the region leftward, actually made New Hampshire more Republican in the late 70's, 80's and 90's.

Smith wouldn't have lasted and he would have been creamed in 2008 by 20 points had he survived the 2002 primary and general election (considering how close Shaheen was, that is very dubios prospect). Sununu was a much better fit for the state and his surprisingly strong performance in 2008 is a testament to that fact, considering how far down he was just a few months prior. Had he another month and 5% knocked off the Dem margin nationwide, Sununu probably would have won reelection. That said a Paleo-con would have a strong appeal in NH compared to other states for several reasons.

Of course the answer to that question is that 45% of the voters are independents.

New Hampshire was always a swing state out of sync with it's neighbors. It was the only Northeastern state to vote Democratic in 1916 just as it was the only one to vote Republican in 2000.

Really, who would have guessed? Read the bolded part. I said it was the least Republican state prior to 1960 and gave % just as a relation to the other states, not that NH always went 55% Republican.