Josh Rogers

Until the current fight over a similar federal regulation, the New Hampshire law requiring contraceptive coverage was on the books for more than a decade without controversy. Now Republicans in the state Legislature are trying to carve out a religious exemption.

Opponents of same-sex marriage believe that if a Democrat-dominated Statehouse could vote in gay marriage, a Republican-dominated one may be able to vote it out. A bill to repeal the law has the backing of some top leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature, but rescinding rights is never easy.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum nearly won the Iowa caucuses on the strength of his retail campaigning across all of the state's counties — and his connection with Christian conservative voters. Now he's in New Hampshire, with just days to go before the first-in-the-nation primary. Santorum is trying to connect with independent-minded voters in a very secular state.

The former Massachusetts governor was citing lofty themes of patriotism on the campaign trail in New Hampshire Tuesday before heading off on a bus tour of Iowa.

A former Democrat turned Republican, he supports both the Tea Party and the Occupy Movement. The former Louisiana governor isn't going anywhere in the polls, but he is enjoying the ride.

Through public events, phone banks and door-to-door canvassing, the GOP presidential contenders are working full speed to reach out to voters in New Hampshire. Political strategists say a good ground game can make a difference at the ballot box.

Tea Party voters were expected to play a key role in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, but with movement hopefuls Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry low in the polls, and Herman Cain now out of the race, the Tea Party vote remains very much in play. New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers reports.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has struggled to gain traction in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Huntsman, a former Obama administration ambassador to China, has has staked his whole campaign on New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. But even in that moderate state, Huntsman's candidacy does not seem to be catching fire.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has surged to the top tier of the GOP presidential field after some strong debate performances and some blunders by his rivals. But he faces challenges in early-voting states like New Hampshire, where he has few staffers on the ground.

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire has been nominated by President Obama to serve as commerce secretary. The state's governor says he will appoint Republican Bonnie Newman to fill Gregg's seat, should he be confirmed.