Once again, New Hampshire voters have done their time-honored duty and given the presidential candidates a thorough going-over. By now we know that Granite State Republicans preferred Mitt Romney while Democrats stuck with their incumbent, President Obama.
But these two winners were far from the only choices on their respective ballots. Voters had the opportunity to look over several candidates, ranging from serious contenders to unlikely longshots to those in the race merely to make a statement.
That's the beauty of the New Hampshire primary. You pay your $1,000 fee and you're on the ballot. It's up to you to convince the voters you're worth their votes.
Among the 30 candidates on the Republican ballot was Jeff Lawman of Derry. Lawman, 43, got 125 votes in the primary, the most of any of the more unknown candidates on the ballot.
Lawman ran on a platform of traditional Republican values and his extensive business background. He said he was pleased with the experience of running for president.
"The support and encouragement I received both locally and nationally have been tremendous," Lawman told our reporter. "Voters truly appreciated a candidate that gave honest answers to their questions and never sacrificed ethics or integrity."
Lawman seemed a little disappointed in the amount of coverage his campaign received. However, he did participate in some candidate forums and got an article in the Wall Street Journal after a chance meeting with a reporter at MaryAnn's Diner. That not too bad for an unknown candidate with no significant political experience.
"I never expected to win, but I did expect a small amount of playing time," he said. "With the exception of Derry, Nashua and Burlington, Vt., I couldn't buy any media coverage."
There were plenty of candidates on the Democratic side as well, although these may have had even less of a chance of victory facing their party's incumbent president.
Among these was the colorfully named Vermin Supreme of Rockport, Mass. Mr. Supreme shows up every four years wearing a rubber boot on his head and promising ponies for all Americans.
These marginal candidates and court jesters serve a purpose. They give a voice, however briefly, to those who are far outside the mainstream of American politics. Some, like Vermin Supreme, satirize the primary process itself.
It is a bit outlandish that Iowa and New Hampshire, with a total of 11 electoral votes between them, play so outsized a role in presidential politics. But the two states are among the few places where the majority of voters have had the chance to meet the candidates personally, look them in the eye, shake their hands and hear them speak. It's a chance to take a measure of the candidates, to judge their character.
And, for the most part, it works. The Republican and Democratic nominees for president are generally the best their parties have to offer.
It isn't perfect. But it's a far more democratic process than the smoke-filled rooms and brokered conventions of the past.
New Hampshire, as it has for so many years, once again has proudly played its part.
