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One of the country's oldest officials and the most fervent defender of New Hampshire's first primary is facing an unexpected reelection from his own party, in part because of his work with President Trump 
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New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, 70, is seeking his 22nd two-year term this year. He has been senior manager of the election and registration of enterprises in the state of ten governors and presided over ten presidential primaries, often engaging in huge feuds to maintain the New primaries Hampshire at the forefront of the nomination process.
He is the only secretary. of the state in the country that is elected by the 400 state representatives and 24 senators from New Hampshire, rather than by the electors. Testifying to his longevity, he has rarely faced a serious challenge, even if he is a Democrat and even during the years when Republicans hold the majority in both Houses of the Legislature.
Gardner is a familiar face for all those involved in New Hampshire politics.
He personally greets the presidential candidates who go on a pilgrimage to his office in Concord, where they formally apply to run for the presidential primary of the state.
"His presence is immense. He is an icon in the process, "said Lou D & # 39; Allesandro (D), a longtime Senator and Gardner supporter, who already had Gardner in his civic education class at Bishop Bradley High School
But this year, Gardner will face his most controversial challenge from Colin Van Ostern, a Democratic colleague who sat on the New Hampshire Executive Council and was named Democratic nominee for the governorship in 2016.
Van Ostern, 39, was not yet born when Gardner took office.His supporters say that it is time for someone again to take up a position that hesitates to follow the l '. evolution of voting rights and technology, such as online voter registration or even the adoption of an electronic registry.
Meanwhile, Gardner has angered some Democrats by supporting a measure that would make it more difficult to elect students of New Hampshire in the regional elections.
"We need more and more of a more modern vote. and Secretary of State Responsible, "said Van Ostern during an interview Thursday. "No one has the right to work, even after 42 years. I believe that a majority of the legislature wants a modern and responsible state secretary. "
What most upset the Democrats and defenders of voting rights, said several, was Gardner's participation in President Trump's election fraud working group, co-chaired by Secretary of State of the United States. Kansas, Kris Kobach (right), who closed earlier this year without finding any evidence of electoral fraud in the 2016 elections.
"Participation in the anti-fraud commission unfortunately provided political cover and the New Hampshire's dignity, which prides itself on being a bastion of democracy, but also a cover for these electoral fraud frauds, "said Sen. David Watters (3) .D), a contributor to Van Ostern. "I think Bill Gardner has politicized the office by supporting the efforts to abolish the vote."
Even Gardner supporters admit that his work on the committee of electoral fraud has harmed his Gardner, unlike other Democratic and even Republican secretaries of state, has prepared to pass data on state voters to the panel.
"By joining the Trump Committee, I think it was something that people did not like," Allesandro said.
The two candidates clash on Wednesday, just hours after the swearing in of the new legislature. Democrats regained the majority of votes in mid-term elections; they will hold 233 out of 400 seats in the state chamber and 14 seats out of 24 in the Senate.
In recent years, the Gardner elections have been virtually pro forma. This year, there are signs that he is facing serious problems. In a straw poll earlier this month, the new Democratic legislators backed Van Ostern over Gardner by a margin of 179 to 23.
And the race took on a more partisan hue, for the first time . The Republicans lined up behind Gardner, even though he was elected Democrat four decades ago at the State House.
"Recently, I think, partly because of Gardner's participation in the Trump-Kobach commission and his support for the voter suppression bills, I think this has become politicized," Watters said. .
Gardner's supporters worry that, should he lose, New Hampshire's coveted position at the helm of the presidential candidate group could be threatened. But Van Ostern's supporters invoke a law that requires New Hampshire to hold its primaries before any other state, as proof that Van Ostern would be able to defend the status of first in the nation.
Gardner did less formal. activist Van Ostern, citing his role in the mid-term election administration this year. But in recent days, he has secured the support of five of the seven former governors alive, including Democrat John Lynch and four Republicans.
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