CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today issued the following statement regarding the Secretary of State Bill Gardner’s decision to set the primary on Jan. 8, 2008:

“I congratulate Secretary of State Bill Gardner for his steadfast work in protecting New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation tradition. From the beginning, Bill Gardner said he would set the date of the New Hampshire Primary to protect our law and tradition. By deciding today to set the Primary for January 8, Bill has done exactly that. This date helps preserve the New Hampshire Primary tradition and the important contributions it makes to the American political process.”