since when has 'neighboring state' proven to be advantageous...is it true or just sounds 'likely"?

[islandmkl]

because I know that, being from Kansas originally, I didn't particularly feel any affinity to people, especially politicians, from Missouri, Nebraska, or Oklahoma...did like the folks in Colorado because they had the mountains, though...

[Agschmid]

1. It's New England everything is about 45 minutes from you...

And yes they have mountains in VT. Good skiing.

[brooklynite]

2. John Kerry - 2004; Paul Tsongas - 1992

[JaneyVee]

3. In the NorthEast we're all neighbors. They even...

Lump NY/NJ/CT as the "tri-state area".

[daleanime]

4. Iowa is in the same neighborhood as Arkansas.....

but the rules are different for Hillary...

[firebrand80]

5. It comes down to the fact that

The States are similar demographically. Demographics tells you a lot about who people are going to vote for once a pattern is established.

That's why in 2008, after a while, everyone could pretty much call which States Obama would win and which Clinton would win. Like when working class whites were going for Clinton in state after state, it was pretty evident that Obama would get plastered in WV.

Even outside of demographics there are "style" issues that play into it. A southerner will likely do better with southerners, for example.

In this instance, Bernie's "curmudgeonly New Englander" style works well in New Hampshire.

[JI7]

6. it's always been this way. one reason scott walker dropped out

[Capt. Obvious]

7. Obama 2008

Kerry 2004
Tsongas 1992
Gephardt 1988
Simon 1988

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

8. New England states are like Texas counties.

The city of Houston is geographically bigger than the state of Rhode Island.

[Iggy Knorr]

9. Camp Weathervane started using it

as an excuse for why she's losing so badly in NH to Bernie.
"It's a neighboring state!!!!"
"He's only appeals to the gun toting whites!"

[PotatoChip]

12. Indeed. But don't forget the bogus "liberal NH voter" meme

Party Registration/Names on Checklist History
December 28, 2015

Democratic -229,202 (26.2%)
Republican -260,896 (29.8%)
Undeclared -383,834 (43.9%)
------------------------------------------
Total -873,932

http://sos.nh.gov/NamesHistory.aspx

These party affiliations don't really scream "Liberal" to me.

Additionally, among the Undeclared, more tend to lean conservative, just as they do here in the rural parts of Maine-- another NH next door neighbor.

[Bjornsdotter]

10. Search for Thom Hartmann's comments

...on it. Thom said he lived in both states and that it is not true.

[Fumesucker]

11. Some of them share major media markets

If you watch local news from another state you absorb some of the politics and politicians.

[TwilightGardener]

13. I think it's maybe good for 5 percentage points or so.

It's very possible to decisively win NH and be from the other side of the country. John McCain, anyone? Edit to add: I was always under the impression that NH liked outsiders and underdogs and had a lot of independents.