Craig Annis

February 20, 2008 - 9:43am

How New Hampshire gave birth to a New Jersey power couple

By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

Kate Whitman and Craig Annis met in New Hampshire during the 2002 campaignNew Jersey congressional candidate Kate Whitman only lived in New Hampshire for about eight months, but she met the love of her life there.

In 2002, the then-24-year-old Whitman – the daughter of former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman and scion of a political dynasty going back a century -- came to New Hampshire to cut her political teeth on the Republican primary campaign of Craig Benson.

“The primary was very, very contentious. It was very close,” said Whitman, who worked a spokesperson. “I was thrown into the fire, and I think that was a great way to learn.”

Craig Annis, then 27, was already a veteran political operative. The New Hampshire native served as Chief of Staff for former Manchester Mayor Ray Wieczorek, and at the time was working as chief-of-staff to state Sen. Ted Gatsas.

What better place for two young, politically active people to form a lasting romance than The Granite State?