Huge Crowds, But Hardly a New Hampshire Primary Voter in Sight

The weekend before the New Hampshire Primary is to political nerds what Bonnaroo is to music fans. People hit several campaign events, checking out three or four candidate shows a day. This year, with contested races in both parties, there’s political entertainment from dawn to dusk.

And entertainment it is. Because many of these people can’t vote.

"I guess you could say we’re political tourists, is that the expression?" asked Alison Deeb of Morristown, NJ. "Anyone that’s interested in history, political science, marketing, campaign management -- this is a learning institution right here." 

License plates in the parking lots at jam-packed candidate town hall meetings tell the story: New York, Massachusetts, Ohio. At a Jeb Bush event, 21 students from Northeastern University in Boston filled the seats. At a Marco Rubio event, a 10-year-old politics junkie brought along his parents from Vermont. And at a Hillary Clinton event, political tourists listened to her speech from an outdoor loudspeaker after the event inside filled up.

Political tourism could have an impact on today's primary vote. At some events most of those interviewed -- and most of those who ask the candidates questions -- were not from New Hampshire at all. But candidates nonetheless tout the size of their crowds in press releases, which the media report on. Some voters then use crowd sizes to gauge whether candidates have a chance so they don't waste their votes. 

For the political tourists, Democrats go to Republican events, and vice versa. And it’s all free. 

"It’s like baseball spring training. They go and they travel and they follow it," said Jeff Gagne, an environmental chemist and actual New Hampshire Republican voter. "It’s the same thing. You come and learn about the candidates and see all the circus that goes with it."