NASHUA, N.H. — On Friday and Saturday, the New Hampshire Republican Party held its final big event before the February 9 GOP primary. The First-in-the-Nation Presidential Town Hall, at the Nashua Radisson, attracted the local officials, activists, and politicos who make up the state GOP establishment. They heard from Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, Rand Paul, and other candidates who hope to make a mark in New Hampshire. But lying just beneath the attendees’ enthusiasm for the candidates was a remarkable level of confusion, frustration, and just plain bewilderment at what is going on in their state’s presidential race. How is it that Donald Trump is leading his closest competitor by nearly 20 points? They wish they knew. Below are scenes from a very puzzled party:
Life in the GOP bubble
