NH Republicans get back-to-back look at hopefuls

Associated Press

MANCHESTER, N.H.

With back-to-back events featuring multiple presidential hopefuls, it’s been something of an instant-replay kind of weekend for New Hampshire Republicans.

Barely 12 hours after five possible candidates spoke Friday at a dinner in Manchester, three of them showed up less than 10 miles away for a second gathering Saturday. Though Rep. Michele Bachmann started from scratch with her speech, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum largely stuck to the highlights they delivered the previous night, when they were joined by former Gov. Mitt Romney and businessman Herman Cain.

That was the point, said Wayne Lesperance, a political science professor at New England College who said multicandidate events are more about helping candidates refine their stump speeches than winning over voters.