Why is Kamala Harris campaigning in New Hampshire in the final stretch of the 2024 race?

When Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage in North Hampton, New Hampshire on Wednesday, it was a picturesque campaign scene with a white barn under a clear blue sky, American flags and cheering supporters. 

But with just over sixty days to go before Election Day, it was not exactly clear why Harris had chosen to come to the New England state.

The Granite State has not been among the seven battlegrounds both campaigns have been spending tens of millions of dollars in on advertising. And neither nominee had frequented it recently.

The stop in the state marked Harris’ first visit there since 2021. Her rival Donald Trump was last in New Hampshire for the Republican primary in January. 

But there was the vice president on a sunny afternoon hitting the stump and stopping by a local pretzel business. And Democrats there were relieved. 

The state has been deeply purple in the past and has a Republican governor, begging the question: is New Hampshire a presidential battleground in 2024?

University of New Hampshire political science professor Andrew Smith suggested it really is not. 

‘If Biden had still been the nominee, then this would be a much more competitive race,’ he said. 

A Kamala Harris supporter wearing a hat with the vice president on it at her event in North Hampton, NH on September 4

That has not been the case since Harris took over the top of the ticket. 

The latest polls show Harris on average is up seven points in the state. When Biden was the nominee,  it was much closer with one poll after his debate in June even showing Trump up by two points.

But Harris’ visit in the final sprint signaled at least to voters on the ground, the vice president was not leaving it to chance in a tight overall race, even if New Hampshire has a comparatively small number of electoral votes with just four up for grabs.

While Harris leads in the polls, New Hampshire has a deeply purple history. It could elect a Republican governor in November even if Harris does win as was the case when Biden won it at the top of the ticket in 2020.

‘Hillary Clinton only won by 3,000 votes back in 2016, so it’s not as if New Hampshire is a blowout win for Democrats,’ pointed out Smith. ‘It’s still a fairly close state, and it’s really been considered a a battleground state up until 2020.’

Donald Trump celebrating his victory in the New Hampshire GOP primary on January 23, 2024 in Nashua, New Hampshire. The last time a Republican won the state in the general election was in 2000 but Hillary Clinton barely won the state in 2016

A Republican has not won New Hampshire in a presidential general election since 2000 with President George W Bush. 

Some experts believe if Al Gore put more effort into winning the Granite State, he would have been president because its four electoral votes would have put him over the edge and the Florida results would not have mattered.

New Hampshire voters said they appreciate the state not being taken for granted. 

‘We’re purplish,’ said  39-year-old mother of four Allison O’Brien from Auburn, New Hampshire. ‘When President Biden stepped down I was wondering if we would be one of the places, so I’m very excited that she decide to make this quick stop.’

O’Brien’s sense is there has been a lot more energy in New Hampshire for Harris. 

A man in a top hat driving in a car with the sign ‘Stop Trump’ in New Hampshire

Children holding signs supporting Kamala Harris on the side of the road ahead of her visit to the state 

Harris meeting with Suzanne Foley and her daughter Eileen Marousek of Port City Pretzels as she campaigns in Portsmouth, NH

‘I think in general people are more engaged and excited because she’s bringing something new to the election.’ 

‘I’m not surprised because I gather from having followed her for a while that she’s that kind of person that wouldn’t leave anyone behind, any state behind,’ said Democrat Russell Brow from Hooksett, New Hampshire. 

He too agreed the state has seen a substantial enthusiasm shift over the past few weeks.

Jim Kelley from Wakefield, NH suggested his ‘extremely red’ area is ‘turning a little blue’ with everything happening in the world. 

Overall, there is a sense Democrats in the state are breathing a sigh of relief both at the change at the top of the ticket but also at Harris showing up. 

At the same time, there is a real sense of urgency and perhaps even fear among Harris’ supporters who remember 2016, the last time the party had a woman at the top of the ticket, and it was a close race.

‘We got the heck beat out of us when Hillary ran, and it was so hurtful because she was so qualified,’ said Natalie Kelley, Jim’s wife. ‘I was terrified for [Harris], but then I saw the energy change.’ 

A small number of Donald Trump supporters chanted for the vice president to ‘go home’ outside her event in New Hampshire

But New Hampshire still has its hardcore Trump supporters.

Several signs for the ex-president were out in neighborhood yards near where Harris spoke Wednesday, and a several protesters showed up on the side of the road to support for the GOP nominee outside Harris’ event where they chanted for the vice president to ‘go home.’

Trump took to social media ahead of the vice president’s visit and claimed she ‘sees there are problems for her campaign in New Hampshire because of the fact that they disrespected it in their primary and never showed up.’ 

He added ‘I protected New Hampshire’s First-In-The-Nation Primary and ALWAYS will!’ 

His post was a reference to Democrats selecting South Carolina to hold the first Democratic primary this year with Biden as the incumbent over the Granite State, but Democrats and Independents DailyMail.com spoke to dismissed concern Wednesday the 2024 change has any impact.

Meanwhile, a top Trump volunteer is no longer with the campaign, the Boston Globe reported Sunday, after he wrote in an email to Trump volunteers in the state that the ‘campaign has determined that New Hampshire is no longer a battleground state.’ 

The campaign pushed back saying it has an on-the-ground presence there.

DailyMail.com reached out to the Trump campaign to see if the former president plans to make a visit to the state before November 5.