Cheshire, Grafton key to New Hampshire Democrats' surge
Where are these 45,000 newly registered Democrats who have joined the rolls since November 2002?
An examination of the Secretary of State's records indicates, unsurprisingly, that nearly half of new Democrats hail from the two largest counties in the state, Hillsborough (roughly 239,000 voters, or 28 percent of the state's 851,000 voters) and Rockingham (206,000 voters, or 24 percent).
Rockingham outpaced Hillsborough, however, in enrolling new Democrats. It added 12,000 new Democrats to the rolls since 2002, compared to Hillsborough's 8,800.
Third is Merrimack County, home of the state capital of Concord. Since 2002, this county (home to 98,000 voters, or 11 percent of the state's total) has added 6,700 new Democrats, accounting for 15 percent of the party's surge.
So far, unsurprisingly, the three largest counties in the state are the three biggest sources of new Democrats. But counties four, five and six are minor surprises:
4) Grafton County. Home to 58,000 voters (7 percent of the state), this hallmark Yankee Republican county (albeit the home of Dartmouth College) added 4,300 new Democrats to the rolls, about 10 percent of the surge.
5) Cheshire County. The most reliably Democratic county in the state added 4,000 new Democrats to its rolls. That's 9 percent of the party's surge, despite the fact the county numbers only 53,000 voters altogether, or 6 percent of the total.
6) Strafford County. Home of the state university in Durham and fourth-largest county overall with 73,000 voters. Between 2002 and 2006, the county's Democrats increased by 3,800 -- good only for sixth place overall.
These numbers are more proof that while Hillsborough and Rockingham are obviously huge factors in New Hampshire electoral politics, areas west and north of Concord have become key players. In a number of ways, the New Hampshire hinterlands are tipping the balance, not the burgeoning southern tier.
The Democratic surge in Cheshire and Grafton counties, for instance, gives Congressman Paul Hodes an even larger cushion in his re-election bid.
And in a statewide race like the one John Sununu faces next year, he will have to compensate for his losses in the western Second Congressional District with a very strong performance in the eastern district he once held.
