as Bob Smith just an aberration, or was he a harbinger of things to come, the tip of an iceberg in a political sea change? Time will tell.
Smith got huffy back in July, something he does well, and declared he'd had his full of the Republican Party. The GOP had lost its spine, he said. The party had abandoned the conservative social values Smith holds dear, and he was getting out. At first, Smith talked about running as a candidate in the US Taxpayers Party, but he later ditched that idea and today he runs as an independent candidate for president.
Now Pat Buchanan is sounding a lot like Smith. He's been talking nonstop about bolting from the Republican Party, saying there's little to distinguish it from the Democrats. ''Republicrats,'' Buchanan says of his colleagues. There's too much of the Democratic Party in them. Where Smith focused on issues like abortion and gun control, Buchanan has harangued on matters closer to foreign policy and economic policy. He has targeted George W. Bush as a poster boy for all that has gone wrong with the Republican Party.
Buchanan has expressed an interest in running as a Reform Party candidate, but he'll have to come to terms with Jesse Ventura if he wants to get anywhere with that crowd.
Buchanan and Smith have several things in common. Neither one was getting anywhere in the GOP presidential field. Smith was barely a blip on the political radar screen, even here. Buchanan, who pulled off a surprise win in the 1996 New Hampshire primary, has made a minimal showing in the polls this time.
Both Smith and Buchanan are strongest when they run against things. Both appeal to a dream of returning to some mythical notion of the good old days, a conservative Camelot that exists only in their minds. And both claim they could bring plenty of Republicans with them if they get on the ballot next November.
Does the party fragmentation these two represent have anything to do with New Hampshire? The answer may be a cautious yes. Both parties here have been deeply fractured during the past two years and, while there may not be so much talk about leaving parties in this state, perhaps the time has come to consider abandoning the two-party system and opening up the political process for other parties that speak to disenchanted Republicans and Democrats.
Conservatives have lost their grip on New Hampshire's Republican Party. They have been able to win recent Republican gubernatorial primaries because moderate candidates have split their vote while conservatives have closed ranks behind the likes of Jay Lucas and Ovide Lamontagne. But these conservative candidates have gone nowhere in the general elections, running against Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. When the school funding fight came down to the wire, many House Republicans crossed over and joined with Democrats to show Speaker Donna Sytek and other conservatives they can't count on their votes.
Today, Steve Duprey and other Republican leaders are struggling to maintain some party discipline, but maybe it's too late for that. Perhaps the time has come for New Hampshire's conservatives to form their own party.
The state's Democrats have been experiencing similar growing pains. Shaheen did a marvelous job of staking her claim in the middle ground. By taking ''The Pledge'' she stole the rallying cry that had served Republicans well for years, but she also earned the title of ''Demican'' from many in her party who were chagrined by her move to the right. When both the House and the Senate passed income tax bills earlier this year, Shaheen was put on notice that she's in trouble.
What is happening here in New Hampshire mirrors what has be happening nationally: Both parties have tried to move to the center and, in doing so they have left behind many party faithful who now feel frustrated, angry and ready for change.
Nationally we have Al Gore the Demican and George W. Bush the Republicrat. Both started their run for the presidency high in the polls, but now face tough competition. In a crowded Republican field, Bush's lead has diminished while John McCain's star seems on the ascendancy. The Arizona senator, who follows a clear conservative line, seems to be building support here, although it may not be enough to knock out Bush. Gore looked like a sure thing two months ago, but now Bill Bradley displays unexpected support and is closing the gap between him and Gore.
Party loyalty isn't what it used to be. It's time for a few new parties. A Conservative Party here in New Hampshire seems a natural home for conservative Republicans who today feel they have nowhere to turn. A Progressive Party might be the best home for Democrats who feel their party has drifted too far to the right.
Could New Hampshire survive as a four-party state? Why not? Moving beyond the two-party system might be best for all of us. We might find more comfortable political homes, and we might all appreciate a more varied choice when we next vote for governor. Would a four-party political structure be confusing? You bet. But look at what we have now.
Hank Nichols is assistant professor of journalism and writing at New England College. He lives in Sutton.
