New Hampshire Primary Jan. 8 Earliest Ever

New Hampshire today set its primary for January 8, the earliest in state history. New Hampshire always stages the first primary in the nation, and it had to start even earlier this year because several other states moved up their dates to gain influence, the AP reports. New Hampshire will vote five days after the Iowa caucuses.

"This tradition has served our nation well, as decades of candidates and presidents have said," said state election guru William Gardner. The decision came hours after a court ruled that Michigan could hold its primary January 15. The earlier dates mean that both major-party candidates will likely be selected by Feb. 5 at the latest, the AP notes. (More presidential primaries stories.)