Kat with a K

Pawlenty and Santorum: On Their Way!

Tim Pawlenty announced on his Facebook page that he's heading up here for the Manchester Republican Committee's Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner on March 25. Rick Santorum will be here in April. Of the two, I'd say that Pawlenty would be more appealing to New Hampshire voters, who, I believe, care more about fiscal conservatism than social conservatism. (I'll try to find some polling on that.) The Huckabee supporters I met here in 2008 were very enthusiastic, but not very numerous. I know Romney didn't win here last time, but it was close - he had 32% to McCain's 38%. I'm inclined to think he has an advantage this time, unless someone else manages the "completely conventional and socially acceptable but also supposedly rebellious" shtick that sent the state into the arms of McCain in both 2000 and 2008. Romney did much better against McCain here in 2008 than Bush did against McCain in 2000, and that might be telling as far as what kind of candidate the New Hampshire voter is likely to support.

(Oh, yeah. McCain will be here next month as well, but I refuse to speculate that that might have something to do with 2012, because I think my brain would break.)