Josh Rogers

Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire is the latest politician to appear on the campaign trail with presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. That's fueled speculation that Ayotte is being considered as a running mate.

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.

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.

In part two of All Things Considered's look at abortion today, we look at a New Hampshire abortion notification law case before the Supreme Court and public opinion. Then, we take a broader look at other abortion-related cases that might come before the high court in the future.