Josh Rogers

The former Massachusetts governor was citing lofty themes of patriotism on the campaign trail in New Hampshire Tuesday before heading off on a bus tour of Iowa.

A former Democrat turned Republican, he supports both the Tea Party and the Occupy Movement. The former Louisiana governor isn't going anywhere in the polls, but he is enjoying the ride.

Through public events, phone banks and door-to-door canvassing, the GOP presidential contenders are working full speed to reach out to voters in New Hampshire. Political strategists say a good ground game can make a difference at the ballot box.

It was a busy day for presidential politicking in New Hampshire Monday. Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich traded barbs over Romney's proposed $10,000 bet with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, as well as Gingrich's consulting fees earned working for mortgage giant Freddie Mac.

Tea Party voters were expected to play a key role in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, but with movement hopefuls Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry low in the polls, and Herman Cain now out of the race, the Tea Party vote remains very much in play. New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers reports.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has struggled to gain traction in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Huntsman, a former Obama administration ambassador to China, has has staked his whole campaign on New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. But even in that moderate state, Huntsman's candidacy does not seem to be catching fire.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has surged to the top tier of the GOP presidential field after some strong debate performances and some blunders by his rivals. But he faces challenges in early-voting states like New Hampshire, where he has few staffers on the ground.

Recent polls show that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's rival for the GOP presidential nomination, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, is more popular with the Tea Party rank and file. On the stump in New Hampshire over the weekend, the two leading candidates campaigned hard, and somewhat against type.

Presidential candidates aren't the only Republicans jockeying for position in the state that holds the first presidential primary. Jack Kimball, New Hampshire's GOP chairman, is fighting to remain in office. The Tea Party-backed newcomer was elected to lead state Republicans just seven months ago. He now faces removal amid charges of incompetence and disloyalty. New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers reports.

New Hampshire has long been the place to buy fireworks in northern New England. People from Maine and other states have driven to the state border to stock up on fireworks that they couldn't legally buy at home. But fireworks sales will soon be legal in Maine, and perhaps in Massachusetts as well. Josh Rogers reports that New Hampshire pyrotechnics vendors are not happy about it.