Bill Gardner – Primary Figure

Above: Photo courtesy Secretary of State’s Office

He’s a quiet, unassuming man, but at this moment in time he is one of the most powerful people in the country. That’s because, as Secretary of State, Bill Gardner gets to set the all-important date of New Hampshire’s presidential primary, and all political eyes are on him, waiting for him to make a decision . Gardner won’t do it until all the leapfrogging and reshuffling of states is done; in the meantime his every move is checked for a sign of his intentions. As we go to press, still no decision and there’s talk of a December (!) primary, a long way from the original primary month of March.