If this election is about jobs, then it’s worth looking at what’s been playing out in two states, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The only state in New England to lose an electoral vote from the 2010 census was Massachusetts, which fell to only 11 Electoral College delegates. New Hampshire kept its four electoral votes. Clearly, money goes where it’s well treated, and since New Hampshire is a tax haven with no personal income tax or sales tax, it’s no surprise that its population grew by 6.5% from 2000 to 2010.
I am familiar with both states, as I have owned property in Massachusetts, I own property in New Hampshire, and I have worked in both states. The anecdotal evidence I see on the ground in each supports the story being told by the census statistics. The huge Fidelity division where I used to work in Massachusetts has since been moved to Merrimack, New Hampshire. Population growth in New Hampshire’s southern border communities has been huge, making it more like the state of New Hampshachussetts, with commuters heading to Massachusetts for work and sleeping in New Hampshire.
What’s frustrating to longtime New Hampshire residents is the swing from Republican to Democrat when it comes to presidential election voting. Over the last ten presidential elections, New Hampshire went Republican in the first five—and Democrat in four of the last five. It’s my belief that those immigrating to the state have been more progressive in recent elections but are now more worried about their job security than progressive issues. Rasmussen’s most recent poll has Romney ahead by 2% in New Hampshire. He also spends a lot of time in the state at his home on Lake Winnipesaukee. The four electoral votes in the Granite State are rock solid for Romney.
