Jimmy Carter’s 1976 primary campaign gave New Hampshire one hell of a gift: the state’s best argument for why it deserves the privileged status of having the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. And it also gave a lot of politicos in this state their ticket to power.

Stranglehold is the story of how one small state got its hands around the way we pick presidents - and won’t let go. It’s a political story unlike any you've heard before.

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Stranglehold is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.