--- title: New Hampshire Primary: Photos From 1968 description: The crop of candidates in 1968 New Hampshire primary included a Good Humor salesman and a maker of psychedelic posters in Greenwich Village. canonical: https://time.com/4188694/new-hampshire-primary-1968/ author: Eliza Berman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-02-08T14:00:57.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:00:34.201Z og:title: New Hampshire Primary: Photos From 1968 og:description: The crop of candidates in 1968 included a Good Humor salesman and a maker of psychedelic posters in Greenwich Village og:url: https://time.com/4188694/new-hampshire-primary-1968/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta73597af6232498e/698879f9f887dca005e943ca/160121-new-hampshire-primary-01.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: 1968 New Hampshire Primary og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: New Hampshire Primary: Photos From 1968 twitter:description: The crop of candidates in 1968 included a Good Humor salesman and a maker of psychedelic posters in Greenwich Village twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta73597af6232498e/698879f9f887dca005e943ca/160121-new-hampshire-primary-01.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Colorful New Hampshire Primary That Gives This Year a Run for Its Money  by [Eliza Berman](/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Feb 8, 2016 2:00 PM CUT  Caption from LIFE. In Rochester, N.H. a Nixon volunteer pushes cookies. Caption from LIFE. In Rochester, N.H. a Nixon volunteer pushes cookies.Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  by [Eliza Berman](/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Feb 8, 2016 2:00 PM CUT On Tuesday, Feb. 9, this year’s crop of presidential candidates will duke it out for the affection of [Granite State](http://time.com/4203846/new-hampshire-primary-preview/ "undefined") voters, as the field continues to [narrow](http://time.com/4206118/presidential-campaign-dropouts/ "undefined") on the path toward election day. Many have described this election cycle as crazier than usual: it’s got [fringe candidates ](http://time.com/4066484/these-5-facts-explain-us-presidential-election/ "undefined")on the rise, [wildly unrealistic](http://time.com/money/4202915/election-2016-economic-policy-unrealistic/ "undefined") economic platforms and even [damning accusations](http://time.com/4205867/trump-cruz-illegally-stole-iowa-caucus-win/ "undefined") wielded in now-deleted Tweets. But 1968, as it turns out, had its own fair share of crazy. The major candidates in that year’s primary on the Republican side were George Romney and Richard Nixon—who would, of course, go on to become the 37th president of the United States. Despite Romney’s showing as the “most energetic by far of all the candidates,” the Michigan governor would collect less than 2% of votes. On the Democratic side, President Johnson had not yet decided whether to run (he ultimately would not) and Robert F. Kennedy had yet to announce his candidacy (he would be assassinated only months later), but Eugene McCarthy had already come out as a challenger. But the most colorful stories from New Hampshire that year could be found with the lesser known candidates, in whom LIFE’s Assistant Editor Margery Byers took a special interest. For example, there was Austin Burton, “a Republican who makes psychedelic posters in Greenwich Village.” Burton attempted (and was ultimately not allowed) to declare his candidacy under the name Chief Burning Wood, explaining that he was “one eighth Indian and was made a chief by three Oneida princesses on a TV show.” There was also Don DuMont, a Republican Good Humor salesman from Chicago whose campaign cards described him as “a 64-year-old, up-to-date Good Humored square with rounded corners.” The only “false thing” about him, he said, were his brand new teeth. Meanwhile, Herbert F. Hoover, fourth cousin of the former president, was running an anti-war campaign—but his slogan “Peace is Possible” was drowned out by detractors joking, “I thought you were dead.” And those who have been [shocked](http://time.com/4139670/donald-trump-muslim-republican/ "undefined") by Donald Trump’s campaign [statements](http://time.com/4139476/donald-trump-shutdown-muslim-immigration/ "undefined") about Muslims in America may find it even harder to believe the platform of another of ‘68’s contenders, an Ozark farmer named Laurence Smith. If elected as vice president, Smith planned to “repatriate” black Americans to Africa. Needless to say—considering that the governor of Michigan couldn’t even crack 2%—Smith, DuMont and their compatriots in the margins may have made the news, but they barely registered on in the voting booths on that cold New England day.  Assistant Editor Margery Byers, in New Hampshire covering presidential primary election, 1968. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter_ [_@lizabethronk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk "undefined")_._  Caption from LIFE. In Rochester, N.H. a Nixon volunteer pushes cookies. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Supporters of Richard Nixon during the 1968 New Hampshire primary. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Richard Nixon campaigning during the 1968 New Hampshire primary. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  A scene from the 1968 New Hampshire primary. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. At the state university in Durham, George Romney pats a fraternity snowman Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  George Romney meets and greets during the 1968 New Hampshire primary. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Romney's campaign style on a street in Portsmouth, N.H., is to collar and sales-talk individual voters—even reluctant ones. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. His most valuable ally is his wife Lenore, a onetime actress and a better public speaker than her husband. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Republican candidate Austin Burton, who went by the name Chief Burning Wood. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Richard Nixon campaigning in Nashua. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Manning a receiving line were Pat Nixon, daughters Tricia, 22, and Julie 19, and David Eisenhower, 19, Ike's grandson who is engaged to Julie. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. David, Julie and Tricia hike the streets of Exeter. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. David gives the girls an exuberant hug. All three attend college, but they hope to continue working part time for Nixon. Arthur Schatz—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Supporters of Richard Nixon during the 1968 New Hampshire primary. 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