2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: John McCain: Bernie Sanders, NOT Hillary Clinton, Has ‘Record of Advocacy’ For VETS [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)NH has a trifurcated electorate, with robust representations of Democratic, Republican AND independent voters. They like to "have an effect" on the national conversation, and many of them vote strategically.
Keep in mind that it doesn't really matter who wins either IA or NH so long as the margins aren't all that large. Sanders could lose both and still be competitive, and he could win both and be done for if he can't perform well on Super Tuesday.
IA and NH are opening salvos that "thin the field." Since the Democratic field is down to two--yes, O'Malley is still in there, but he's running for a cabinet job, and Lessig is just using the POTUS contest as a platform to whine--we really aren't in the "thinning" business.
People forget that Bill Clinton lost NH (though coming in 2nd was a huge gain for the performance that most expected from him), but won big after that.