Bettencourt: Primary 'Important Part of Heritage'

On Wednesday N.H. House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt (R-Salem) defended New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary status in a statement.

I appreciate and thank all of the candidates who have chosen to stand with New Hampshire in support of the First in the Nation primary," Bettencourt said in reference to several candidates who have agreed to boycott the Nevada caucus if it does not move back its Jan. 14 date. "It has become an important part of our heritage."

Bettencourt said the primary and the Old Man of the Mountain are the two things that immediately come ming when people across the country think of New Hampshire.

"Unfortunately we lost one of them to Mother Nature a few years ago," Bettencourt said. "But we intend to fight to hold on to the other."

He spoke of the expectation residents have here candidates will "look them square in the eye and be ready to answer the tough questions."

Bettencourt said "we have earned the right to be the first in the nation, we thank those candidates for president, both past and present, who have stood with us in our fight. And we look forward to maintaining our first in the nation status for m any years to come."