Predictions: Undeclared Voters Could Have Effect on New Hampshire Primary

New Hampshire is a cool state. It has more registered "undeclared" voters then it has registered Republicans or Democrats. An undeclared voter is an independent, who can vote in either primary, just not in both. It is one of only two states which has neither a sales tax nor an income tax. It's motto is "live free or die." They tend to vote for what they believe. They don't care whether their candidate has a chance of winning. They vote for, and endorse, for what they believe. Isn't that cool?

Conway, New Hampshire is a small city not far from the Maine border and near the bottom of Mount Washington. The Conway Sun has endorsed New Mexico's governor, Bill Richardson, for President. "Richardson has heavyweight credentials for a heavyweight job; Obama, Edwards and Clinton, by comparison, have barely found their way into the ring."

Concord is the capital of New Hampshire. Their paper, the Concord Monitor, endorsed Republican John McCain. "Earlier in the campaign, when McCain was being counted out, a consultant might have urged a makeover: Lose the moral compass on torture and immigration, ditch the vision for a turnaround in Iraq. Not a chance. John McCain held on to his principles and defended them with dignity. New Hampshire residents who vote in the Republican primary should reward that integrity with their votes."

In what may seem like irony to many of us outside of New Hampshire, the Monitor also endorsed Hilary Clinton on the Democratic side, saying that her experiences as first lady and as senator means she'll be able to jump right into the business of being president instead of having to figure out how to get things done in Washington. The paper also liked Obama, Biden and Edwards, but endorsed Clinton. The Monitor particularly likes her gender. "The election of America's first female president will show more than half the population - including millions of young girls - that their futures are not limited by their gender, that America has moved a little closer to its ideals of liberty and justice for all."