FORMER BETHESDA

RESIDENT HUNTSMAN

TIED WITH

ROMNEY AS FIRST

NH PRECINCT VOTES

Today is the big day in New Hampshire. All predictions claim Mitt Romney will win the primary. But at this hour, voting results are in from Dixville Notch, NH, and Jon Huntsman is tied for first place with Romney. Each has two votes.

In this primary process, we in Maryland have no chance to weigh in on who the Republican or Democratic nominees should be in any election year.

So today's vote is academic for us, and the media is even sure who'll win. We might as well follow the rise or fall of our "hometown" candidate, Huntsman.

As I mentioned here on Sunday, a current Bethesda resident and Westbrook ES student - Zoe Farley - is in New Hampshire as an aspiring reporter. And Huntsman, as I mentioned, attended Westbrook.

We'll follow the results and see how he does.

Capital New York is reporting that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said Huntsman is "very qualified."

Other interesting news? Huntsman had an early breakfast with a famous Maple Round donut from Harvey's Bakery. He's also been bitten by Izak the Goat. A real goat.

The Hill reports that President Obama's fiscal commission chairmen, Sen. Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles have issued a statement "commending" Huntsman on his economic and debt proposals.

If you remember the primary night shocker 4 years ago, when Hillary Clinton pulled off an upset win over Barack Obama, you know anything can happen in New Hampshire.

So regardless of the outcome, this is a rare time that a presidential candidate has ties to Bethesda. But surprisingly, not the first time. Edmund Muskie once lived in Bethesda.

I have a feeling Jon Huntsman would like to get more votes in New Hampshire than Muskie did.