Primary Season Heats Up for GOP

A wave of Republican presidential hopefuls are starting to land in New Hampshire as the primary season kicks into high gear, the Concord Monitor reported Wednesday.

Before the month ends, just about every candidate who is considering a run at being nominated the Republican standardbearer will visit the state.

“I think we're starting to reach a tipping point," Dean Spiliotes, an independent New Hampshire political analyst, told the newspaper.

In the coming days, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Herman Cain, a pizza chain owner, and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, are all expected to visit the Granite State.

"Since the beginning of the year everyone in political circles has known that a presidential campaign wouldn't get going in earnest until the end of April," said Mike Dennehy, Barbour's political adviser in the state.

It happens every four years, as sure as spring arrives after a tough winter.

"The season's getting into gear," said Dante Scala, an associate political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.

"It's reaching a point with the activist corps in New Hampshire where it's time to pick sides. For voters, it's going to be months for them to make their decisions. But for activists, their time is now," Scala added.