HENNIKER, N.H. For presidential candidates, New Hampshire's quirky history feeds dreams and, occasionally, delusions. As Jon Huntsman made his last stand in the state Monday, he declined to say how well he must do in today's primary to make his candidacy the former rather than the latter, but he agreed that today will be decisive.
"Our strategy moving forward is getting a head of steam out of New Hampshire. We have got to prove the point of electability here. This is why the New Hampshire primary is so critically important," the former Utah governor and ambassador to China said in Concord, N.H.
Because of Huntsman's résumé - a combination of executive and international experience, service under presidents of both parties, a reserved personality and a picture-perfect family - there was great anticipation in certain circles about his presidential bid before he announced in June.
Huntsman has staked his campaign on New Hampshire, holding more than 170 events here and relying on the state's voters, who have a deep independent streak and, compared with early-state voters in Iowa and South Carolina, are more concerned with fiscal conservatism than social issues.
He never caught fire, in part because of a series of debate performances in which he failed to make an impression or was largely ignored. But in recent days, his poll numbers have risen slightly, prompting speculation that he has an outside shot at second place behind Mitt Romney, who has a commanding lead.
The candidate and his campaign refuse to speculate where they will come in.
"When you start at zero, as the margin-of-error candidate, to be where we are, with the wind at our back, we're confident we'll be able to exceed expectations," said Matt David, Huntsman's campaign manager.
The candidate moves in the polls whenever a pro-Huntsman super PAC - an independent effort on a candidate's behalf that he can have no involvement in - airs commercials. The Our Destiny PAC is reportedly funded in large part by the candidate's billionaire father.
Huntsman had his best debate performance to date on Sunday, including what campaign aides describe as a "defining" moment.
After Romney criticized Huntsman for working for Obama as ambassador to China while Romney was helping Republican candidates get elected, Huntsman responded that "this country is divided ... because of attitudes like that," prompting loud applause from the audience. "The American people are tired of the partisan division."
The campaign is trying to capitalize on the moment, and began running an advertisement here Monday centered on it. And Huntsman, who has long been urged by his advisers to engage Romney, is also being more aggressive in challenging his rival.
"It's become abundantly clear over the last couple days what differentiates Gov. Romney and me. I will always put my country first. It seems Gov. Romney believes in putting politics first," Huntsman said Monday.
"Everyone tells you what the order of the universe is suppose to be politically, and then the good people of New Hampshire step up and they cast a vote based upon a message that works and real leadership. And conventional wisdom is turned upside down," Huntsman told supporters at the diner. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to turn conventional wisdom upside down tomorrow night."
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