The Liberated Centrist

Recent news cycles have channeled the latest polls from New Hampshire (thanks to  New Hampshire Primary 2012 blog ) to refer to Michelle Bachmann's latest rise in the GOP field after she announced her candidacy during the June 13th debate at St. Anselm's Institute of Politics in Manchester, NH. The latest poll conducted by Suffolk University and 7 News found her with 11%, behind Mitt Romney with 36% and above Ron Paul with 8%. This poll included people not yet in the race like Rudy Giuliani (5%), Sarah Palin (4%), Rick Perry (2%) and George Pataki (1%) while excluding announced candidates like Gary Johnson who recently opened a campaign office in downtown Manchester. In CNN and WMUR's NH Primary Poll conducted by the UNH Survey Center published May 23rd had Michelle Bachmann with 4% behind Romney, Ron Paul, Giuliani and lead balloon candidateNewt Gingrich. Bachmann certainly has seen a surge in the last few weeks, but will it keep? Many GOP voters are reacting to t...

Last Tuesday, June 21st Former Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman kicked-off his formal bid to the presidency first in Liberty State Park in New Jersey and then in Exeter, New Hampshire at the Town Hall. It was quite the production. Outside the hall, a crew from the Manchester Red Arrow Diner were grilling burgers and hot dogs for attendees. They were stocked with plenty of t-shirts, buttons and pins for volunteers (including some friends of mine from UNH College Republicans) to hand out during the day. The crowd must have been at least 300 around 1:30pm, about a half hour before Huntsman would arrive. The announcement attracted a hoard of local and national media outlets as well. Inside Exeter Town Hall: They even had a live band prime the crowd while Huntsman was still in the air and rocked the hall when he finally appeared. His full speech: After the speech was over, he came down and walked around the floor of the Town Hall, I took the opportunity to question him on states...