The New Hampshire Primary Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

This used to be a point of pride in New Hampshire, and from 1952 (when candidates were first listed on the New Hampshire primary ballot) to 1988, it was true. Recently, however, the primary has become more of a forum for insurgents than a predictor of the nomination.

In 1992, Paul Tsongas won the New Hampshire Democratic primary, but Bill Clinton was still elected president of the United States. In 2000, George W. Bush was elected president despite his New Hampshire loss to John McCain.

Answer: Gary Hart in 1984

After a strong showing in the Iowa caucus, Hart won the New Hampshire Democratic primary but lost the nomination to Walter Mondale. McCarthy and Buchanan both lost in New Hampshire but made strong enough showings to seriously wound the incumbent presidents they were challenging (Lyndon Johnson and George HW Bush, respectively). Buchanan went on to win the primary in 1996. Goldwater lost to Henry Cabot Lodge in the 1964 Republican contest.

Answer: 1916

In 1916, candidates' names did not appear on the ballot; instead, people voted for delegates to attend the national convention. New Hampshire did not become the nation's first primary until 1920. 1952 was the first year in which the primary ballot actually listed the names of the candidates.

Answer: Edmund Muskie

Muskie's tears (I say "allegedly cried", because many observers claimed his tears were actually drops of melted snow) along with the notorious Nixon-engineered "Canuck letter" (a fabricated letter which portrayed Muskie using a derogatory term to refer to French Canadians) may have cost Muskie the nomination.

He won the New Hampshire primary but lost the Democratic nomination to George McGovern.

Answer: Harold Stassen and Lyndon LaRouche

Stassen and LaRouche have appeared on six primary ballots each. Stassen, the former Governor of Minnesota and perennial candidate for president appeared on the Republican ballot in 1952, 1964, 1968, 1984, 1988 and 1992. LaRouche appeared on Democratic primary ballots in 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. Comedian Pat Paulsen appeared on the Republican ballots in 1972 and 1992 and on the Democratic ballot in 1996. Richard Nixon appeared on the Republican ballot in 1960, 1968 and 1972 and received write-in votes in 1964.

Answer: Lyndon Johnson

Johnson won the primary twice (1964 and 1968) as a write-in candidate. Truman appeared on the ballot in 1952, when he was defeated by Tennessee senator Estes Kefauver.

Answer: Richard Nixon

Nixon won the primary three times, in 1960, 1968 and 1972. Reagan won twice (1980 and 1984) and Bush won twice (1988 and 1992). Stevenson, who was the Democratic nominee for president in 1952 and 1956, never won a New Hampshire primary.

Answer: Iowa

Iowa and New Hampshire have been aggressive in protecting their "first in the nation" status. In 2004, however, the District of Columbia held a nonbinding presidential primary prior to both the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary.

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Reagan, receiving write-in votes, nearly tied Democratic candidates Jesse Jackson and George McGovern and beat out Ernest Hollings, Alan Cranston and Reubin Askew. While cross-over voting is not unusual in New Hampshire, Reagan made a particularly strong showing in the opposing party's primary.

Answer: No

If fact, no New Hampshireite has even been a major contender in the primary. The only New Hampshirite president was Franklin Pierce, who served from 1853-1857, long before the creation of the primary system.

Much of the information on this quiz comes from the New Hampshire Secretary of State's office (www.state.nh.us/sos) and the New Hampshire Political Library (www.politicallibrary.org).