Portsmouth and Rye share an alluring seacoast known to attract tourists from around the nation. But from a political perspective –the neighboring communities are quite different.
Rye has the highest percentage of registered Republicans of any Seacoast community -- 37%. Portsmouth has a similar distinction – but on the Democratic side with 38%.
NHPR’s Dianne Finch went to Rye and Portsmouth to get a sense of what voters are thinking about.
The affluent town of Rye offers private golf and yacht clubs and multi-million dollar homes with perfectly manicured lawns.
(AMBI café)
But you can also find a friendly, down to earth breakfast place – like the Hungry Horse café.
Patrons there often chat about politics over breakfast.
71- year old Republican Mike Geanoulis is one of the café’s regulars.
Geanoulis, who repaired electronics on submarines before he retired, calls himself a “traditional†Republican.
And he’s pretty sure that he’ll vote for Mitt Romney in the primary.
“He seems to be the only candidate coming forward expressing his concern about the deterioration of the familyâ€
Geanoulis also thinks that Romney would work well with the Democratic majority in Congress.
“Romney demonstrated that in Massachusetts where he got elected by a substantial margin in a democratic state and voters should pay special attention to that.â€
(AMBI voices on golf course maybe)
Rye is a comfortable place for well-to-do retirees with time to spend playing golf.
(AMBI Golf Swings)
At the club restaurant overlooking the greens, 82-year-old Republican
Ferris Bavicchi sips on a coke and talks about the candidates.
The retiree helped run banks and a manufacturing company before he retired a decade ago.
He approaches this primary with a deep sense of dissatisfaction with President Bush.
“I certainly support the Republican Party and its principles and the way it conducts itself as opposed to the Democratic Party, but I don’t support
President Bush’s administration and the way it’s performed.â€
He thinks that the US should not have gone to war in Iraq without full United Nations support.
He’s still shopping for a candidate. People on his list right now are Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and possibly Fed Thompson.
One of Bavicchi’s neighbors, 82-year-old Carolyn Brown, is also on the fence when it comes to choosing a candidate.
She was heading for her car after mailing some letters at Rye’s small, red-brick post office.
She’s looking for a leader with war experience - and says that the choice is difficult.
“I like Guiliani because of how he acted during the big crisis. We might have some more and I hope we don’t. I like McCain…I don’t know why but I do.â€
(AMBI Cars)
15 miles north of Rye is Portsmouth – a place at the opposite end of the
political spectrum.
It has a higher percentage of Democrats than any other Seacoast community.
(AMBI CARS PASSING)
37-year-old Kathy Arakelian walks along Main Street in Portsmouth.
She’s a Democrat -- but isn’t feeling very democratic as she looks at the field of candidates.
She’s interested in John McCain.
“I think he’s level headed he has common sense he makes sense in his remarks……Uhm…as far as other candidates running nobody stands out to me, although, it’s still early. “
AMBI (bus, traffic, wind)
But ask 27-year-old Ford Ivey if any Democratic candidates stand out for him – he’ll show you an “Obama 08†pin on the back of his baseball cap.
Ivey’s sitting on a bench at a bus stop in downtown Portsmouth.
“I like that he’s fresh.. that he hasn’t been in politics for a long time. That he’s you know only a first term senator and he’s coming out and going with all guns blazing..you know.â€
Ivey leans toward the center on some social issues - and he’s hopeful that Obama shares his values.
“He hasn’t really come out against gay marriage but he kind of skirts around it and says civil unions are better. I kinda support that. I have friends who are gay but I don’t really approve of gay marriage..uhm..â€
AMBI (bus, traffic)
A few blocks from that bus stop, Frank Clarkson was strolling past the shops on Main Street.
He says he’s torn.
He’s inspired by Obama’s hopeful vision - and he believes that he’s sincere about it.
On the other hand – he thinks that Hillary Clinton has the intelligence and experience to handle the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.
“I think she understands how the system works and I think she’d be less vulnerable even though a lot o f people on the far right don’t like her to say the least I think she’d be the less vulnerable to some of the attacks and dirty tricks of the Republicans or would know how to respond to them.â€
Whether in Portsmouth or Rye, can say for sure who they will vote for, which points to an aspect of the presidential polls that everyone seems to trust….about two-thirds of voters say they are still trying to decide.
For NHPR News, I’m Dianne Finch
