New Hampshire businesses get a boost from first-in-the-nation presidential primary
NASHUA, NH - For anyone who wants to get a selfie with a presidential candidate, New Hampshire is the place to be this month. Hotels, restaurants, all kinds of Granite State businesses are gearing up for an onslaught of political campaign stops in the home stretch of the first-in-the-nation primary season.
At the Red Arrow Diner, the walls were stripped bare three weeks before the January 23rd primary. The staff was preparing for a new paint job. "Getting a little bit of a face lift, camera ready," said Robin Deary from behind the counter. She said candidates gravitate to the diner to meet voters face-to-face. "I think it's because we get all walks of life here, you know, you get the very, very, wealthy, you get the bottom, and everybody in between...It's always interesting. I've never worked anywhere where you get this kind of exposure," she said.
For some locals, the exposure can be overwhelming. "Everything just gets congested around here, like you can't even get past the stop sign," said Rai Lucas.
But Jessica Rodriguez likes how downtown areas seem to get spruced up. "It changes. It makes it cleaner for a little while, nicer," she said.
"They stay at our hotels, they're eating in our restaurants," said Michael Somers, president of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association. "We certainly have the campaigns, and their campaign staffs that are a big part of that, but we also have a lot of media...so all of that mixed together, it's a pretty sizable impact," he said.