The New Hampshire Democrat Party is obviously split.
One candidate supports an income tax, the other resists any new broad-based taxes.
It seems like the Republican Party, too is divided.
While many support incumbent Governor Craig Benson, a healthy minority have voiced their discontent with the administration.
But is the opposition sufficient enough to defeat the governor?
New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein spoke with a number of Republicans and filed this report.
Bonnie Newman's GOP credentials are impeccable.
She's served in both the Reagan and Bush Senior Administrations, in addition to 30 years of active involvement in party politics.
That's why her public endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Lynch surprised many state Republicans.
Newman, like many who oppose Governor Craig Benson, still plans on supporting President Bush, Senator Judd Gregg, and Congressman Jeb Bradley.
But she won't vote for Benson.
She sees him as incapable of leading the state out of the education funding crisis.
And seems magnetically attracted to scandal.
When she attended President Bush's invitation-only event in Nashua earlier this week, she found many other Republicans share those opinions.
4:47 ... I saw a lot of Republicans, and many came up to me to congratulate me surprisingly for taking a what they felt was taking a courageous position for publicly supporting a Democrat for governor...it's not a partisan issue for me. It's what's in the best interest for NH.
Many loyal to Governor Benson believe his critics merely dislike the governor's abrupt, isolated business style.
But Jameson French, a registered Republican who has supported Democrats in the past, says the problem with the governor transcends style.
French disapproves of Benson's political philosophy.
10:08 I think there is a sense among some people that he leans very strongly to a libertarian philosophy, rather than a traditional Republican, good government, fiscal conservative but recognizing the role government has to play.
During the budget process, for example, Senate and House leadership criticized the Governor for submitting a plan to make government unrealistically lean.
Lawmakers also faulted him for not working with the majority Republican Legislature to reach a compromise budget, opting to veto it instead.
To Representative Liz Hager, another Republican supporting Democrat John Lynch, Benson compounded his problems by making a lot of statehouse enemies.
5:20 the basis for dissatisfaction, I think, is B.'s contempt for government. That he can run it the way he wants to run it, regardless of the rules, regulations, and long traditions.
15:06 you know what voters think? They are contemptuous of government as well.
Republican consultant David Carney.
...It's about time someone stood up for the voters instead of the government. That's part of his charm, or allure, he doesn't care what the government types think. He would like to try to do things a little bit more efficiently.
Carney, like many who rush to the governor's defense, says the Governor has lived up to his promise of no new taxes, and controlled government spending.
Former House Speaker, Republican Donna Syteck says that record has held considerable appeal.
:24 until a few months ago, the further you got from Concord, the more popular governor Benson was. In the past few months, I've noticed a change in attitudes towards him. people are starting to pay attention to the election, and people who would automatically are raising some concerns.
Republican State Representative Herb Richardson lives pretty far from Concord.
The Lancaster resident says he respects the Governor a great deal.
But the cuts in services don't sit well in his district.
4:22 we've cut the state prisons, we've cut HHS, we've cut on educational funding, there is only so much cutting you can do before it starts to affect the services. I can't support cuts that affect the services, and I think that's the way people in the north country feel.
Republicans have begun to throw their support to a variety of candidate other than Benson.
Republican Charlie Tarbell, a New Castle Selectman, is on the ballot.
Other Republicans are planning to write-in Republican Senator Dick Green.
Still others say they'll vote for the Democrats.
UNH Pollster Andy Smith says it's clear the governor can't count on overwhelming support from his own party.
4:27 if you ask people if they are going to vote for Benson against Lynch, only 74% of Republicans says they are going to vote for Benson. Now that sounds pretty high, you are getting three quarters of the Republicans saying they are going to vote for Benson. But typically over 90% would be voting for R. candidate. So he is losing some of that supprt. I don't know if it's enough to throw the election, but it's got to be troubling for him.
Despite Smith's findings, many Republicans will tell you they are quite pleased with Benson's performance.
Benson campaign volunteer, Shannon McGinley doesn't understand why people in the party don't support the governor.
She guesses, the problem may be that he shakes things up, and doesn't act like a politician.
But that's what she likes about him so much.
2:04 he is an individual thinker. He has a strong belief system...you might not always agree with him. but he is a man of his word. And when he says he is going to do something, he does it...he doesn't play the political game. He is an outsider......and yet when somebody is an outsider...they don't like that outsider. He doesn't know what he is doing, he doesn't know how the game is played.
Other Republicans report from the campaign trail that Benson is as popular as ever.
For his part, the Governor says he keeps running into people who apologize for not supporting his candidacy the first time around.
And he says he was particularly popular at President Bush's recent Nashua rally.
7:46 I ducked my head out from under the back screen just to say hi to a young girl. Next thing I know, the whole place, 1800 people gave me a standing ovation, without doing or saying anything, just waving to this young girl...all I know is these people were genuinely excited to see me there.
Bonnie Newman, the staunch Republican who worked in the Regan and Bush Administrations, admits she saw a lot of people sporting Benson buttons in Nashua.
10:08 The governor continues to have his supporters. But I think there are many people though who traditionally fallen into the R. columns, people that have supported indidivudals like Gregg, Bradley, who are going to vote differently this year.
Former House Speaker Donna Syteck says she expects lots of Republicans to wrestle with the question of supporting Governor Benson.
She says it's like being a lawmaker, who isn't in love with either option before her.
8:37 I think back to the times I was in the legislature. And you hear the arguments for and against the measure...And then you say, well, I don't know about this, I will hold my nose and vote for this. I think this election is going to be a little like that for some. In the bigger picture, it will be harder for people to decide, but will end up voting for the devil we know.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
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