What we learned from months on the ground before New Hampshire’s primary

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has called New Hampshire voters “presidential wine tasters” for their insistence on meeting candidates in person, sometimes repeatedly, before they consider voting for them.

On Tuesday, those voters will make their 2024 presidential picks, and what they saw on the trail and how they made their decisions will tell us a lot about American politics for the rest of a big election year.

NBC News has spoken to hundreds of New Hampshire voters over seven months to understand how some of the most openly strategic participants in the presidential race are thinking through 2024 right now. Here are six big takeaways about the race.

Trump supporters were largely never interested in an alternative

Former President Donald Trump has had a consistent lead in New Hampshire. His percentages were largely in the 40s to 50s last year, as when the University of New Hampshire poll clocked him at 47% in July. Most recently, according to a CNN/UNH poll released Sunday, he was at 50%, double digits ahead of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

His base in New Hampshire, like elsewhere, is loyal. Kevin Cole, a machinist, said: “I’m still leaning towards Trump. I couldn’t honestly tell you why, other than his last term was good for my family. We already have experience with Trump and what he can do for the economy.”

Diana Leblond, 59, of Barnstead, said at a Trump rally last month that she aligns with everything he stands for and was never interested in any other candidate.

“I just believe in everything that he’s for, 100%,” she said. “I haven’t swayed from that. Everything he does backs up what he says.”

The multiple indictments Trump has faced throughout his campaign and the thought of