Why is NH more moderate than other New England states

[Samof94]

Why is New Hampshire so much of an outlier in its region?? It voted for W the first time, which was the last time it did so. At the state level, it has elected R Senators in a pre-Trump world and routinely has had Republican Governors and one or both houses have been R multiple times in the past decade. In terms of actual policy, it is stricter on abortion than its neighbors and also is one of the "No state income tax" states(why many people work in Boston but live in this state).

[Freshly-touched grass]

The cost of living in New Hampshire is lower than that of Massachusetts, and it's not that different from the two other northern New England states in terms of political quirkiness. NH has a mavericky/somewhat libertarian streak to it, and yes, many people from Massachusetts moved there and brought their cultural liberalism with them but not the desire to pay more for services or necessities. As for abortion, I would suppose that many if not most people in New Hampshire could just drive to a neighboring state if they needed one. They are more apathetic to the social policies of the NHGOP, so Sununu was able to sign some abortion restrictions while retaining goodwill thanks to his incumbency and retail politicking, not to mention the family name.

Sawx knows his state like the back of his hand, so maybe he would be able to provide a better explanation for this.

[Samof94]

The cost of living in New Hampshire is lower than that of Massachusetts, and it's not that different from the two other northern New England states in terms of political quirkiness. NH has a mavericky/somewhat libertarian streak to it, and yes, many people from Massachusetts moved there and brought their cultural liberalism with them but not the desire to pay more for services or necessities. As for abortion, I would suppose that many if not most people in New Hampshire could just drive to a neighboring state if they needed one. They are more apathetic to the social policies of the NHGOP, so Sununu was able to sign some abortion restrictions while retaining goodwill thanks to his incumbency and retail politicking, not to mention the family name.

Sawx knows his state like the back of his hand, so maybe he would be able to provide a better explanation for this.

It also borders Canada as well. Many people work in Mass and live in NH as well.

[Sol]

Mods please move.

It's Boston exurbs and reasonably decent Republican performances in the rural areas of the state. These factors obtain in other New England states to a greater or lesser extent, but areas answering to either of those descriptions are a higher percentage of the state as a whole compared to elsewhere.

[HisGrace]

Live free or die.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

I think Vermont is the oddity rather than NH: if that state did not have its peculiarities, we would just say that modern New England has conservative rural areas (though more independent than other rural regions), swingy postindustrial towns and left-wing urban centres.

[Samof94]

I think Vermont is the oddity rather than NH: if that state did not have its peculiarities, we would just say that modern New England has conservative rural areas (though more independent than other rural regions), swingy postindustrial towns and left-wing urban centres.

Vermont elected a Republican who has zero Republican traits.

[MyLifeIsYours]

I think Vermont is the oddity rather than NH: if that state did not have its peculiarities, we would just say that modern New England has conservative rural areas (though more independent than other rural regions), swingy postindustrial towns and left-wing urban centres.

Vermont elected a Republican who has zero Republican traits.

Vermont was one of the staunchest Republican states in the union until the nineties. The home of Yankee Republicans who were nonetheless liberal. The Northern equivalent of Alabama/Mississippi being Democrat hotbeds until the mid-60's.