CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire’s secretary of state is set to announce the date for the first-in-the-nation presidential primary.
New Hampshire state law requires its primary to be held at least seven days ahead of any other similar contest and gives Secretary of State Bill Gardner exclusive power to set the date.
In past years, other states have jockeyed to move their primaries earlier in hopes of grabbing some of the spotlight New Hampshire enjoys. But without that pressure this time, Gardner is expected on Monday to set the date for Feb. 11, eight days after the leadoff Iowa caucuses.
That’s less than 12 weeks away, but Gardner has cut it considerably closer before. He set the Jan. 8, 2008, primary date less than seven weeks ahead of election day.
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