Just not in New Hampshire. Has either party, in the modern era, ever had an eventual nominee that didn’t at least contend in New Hampshire? You don’t have to win (Clinton and Bush didn’t), but you should at least show up. Giuliani is running on the laughable claim that he’s the kind of Republican who can win blue states, but he can’t even make a go of it in NH? Please.
With the way all the primaries have been pushed ahead, Guliani may be right in that New Hampshire is no longer as relevant as years previous. We’ll know the answer in a couple of months.
And the “Republican who can win in Blue States” is taking a back seat to tactics. Guliani figures that the majority of New Hampshire Republicans are disaffected Masschusetts expatriots who have a history with and affinity for Romney. It’s risky, but if he plays the expectations game right, it just might work.