What's ahead: When will New Hampshire Republicans vote? Romney returns

Now that Iowa has set a date for its first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses, the question is when New Hampshire will have its primary.

Don't expect a quick decision on that. New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner will outwait anyone, according to Granite State politicos. Legend has it the reason the state's iconic Old Man of the Mountain crumbled is that it got into a staring contest with Gardner.

It's worth noting that four years ago, Gardner waited until late afternoon the day before Thanksgiving to announce New Hampshire's earliest-ever primary date – Jan. 8, 2008 – giving candidates, campaigns and parties less than seven weeks notice.

If the past is prologue, Iowans might take heart that by allowing Iowa to go first four years ago Gardner honored the traditional one-two punch that the two states wield in presidential politics.

Read more at IowaCaucus.com