Mitt Romney’s strongest three counties in the 2012 GOP New Hampshire primary were his three strongest in 2008: Rockingham (#1 in both cycles), Carroll (#3 in ’08, #2 in ’12), and Hillsborough (#2 in ’08 and #3 in ’12). Rockingham and Hillsborough (both bordering Massachusetts on the south), were the only two counties the former Massachusetts governor carried in 2008. The sole county Romney has failed to win in either presidential cycle is the northernmost county of Coos – won by John McCain in 2008 and Ron Paul by 2.1 points in 2012. Overall, Romney increased his vote percentage from 2008 in each of the Granite State’s 10 counties, with the biggest increase coming in west central Grafton County, where he notched a 10.4 increase from 2008 (20.1 percent) to 2012 (30.5 percent). He also scored increases of 9.9 points in Strafford, 9.6 points in Rockingham and Carroll, 9.4 points in Coos, 8.0 points in Belknap, 6.0 points in Merrimack, 4.5 points in Cheshire, and 4.3 points in Sullivan.

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