McCain, lucky penny return to N.H. for a 'Thank you'

Sen. John McCain greeted people at Howley's Restaurant in West Palm Beach, Fla., today. The GOP's presumptive presidential nominee went to Florida for some fundraising. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

by Jill Zuckman

In the annals of presidential primaries, most candidates run their campaigns, hold an election night party, thank the voters and leave, barely to be seen or heard from again.

It’s especially true in New Hampshire, which rarely gets a lot of attention in the general election due to its small size, but makes up for it during the months leading up to its first-in-the-nation primary.

Sen. John McCain, whose campaign was resurrected by winning New Hampshire after his candidacy had been declared dead and gone, wants to change all that. On March 12, he returns to the Granite State for a round of thank yous now that he has officially become the presumptive Republican nominee for president.

“We were riding in the van after a fundraiser and he said, ‘As soon as this is over I want to go back to New Hampshire to say thank you for giving me a chance to make my case,’ ” said Steve Duprey, McCain’s co-chair in the state who travels with the senator full time. “I said there would be plenty of time in the general election. He said, ‘I want to do it now, it’s more meaningful to do it now.’ ”

McCain will arrive at noon on March 12 and hold a private reception and fundraiser in Manchester before taking his Straight Talk Express bus to Exeter for a town hall meeting.

Duprey said local reporters and editorial writers will be invited to ride the bus with McCain. And the senator also plans a stop to visit Joe McQuaid, the publisher of the Union Leader. During the weeks leading up to the primary, McQuaid ran numerous editorials supporting McCain and criticizing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

McQuaid also gave McCain a lucky penny, which McCain still carries around in his pocket.