Advertisement NH Primary Source: Biden team ‘getting close’ on NH staff hires, announcement date in flux Former vice president expected to announce presidential candidacy before end of April Share Shares Copy Link Copy

New Hampshire Primary Source gives you breaking and behind-the-scenes news and analysis on all things political in the Granite State. John DiStaso is the most experienced political writer in the state and has been writing a weekly column since 1982.To sign up for WMUR's weekly New Hampshire Primary Source and political email newsletter, click here.“FINAL DECISIONS.” As former Vice President Joe Biden continues to move at a deliberate pace toward an expected announcement – soon -- that he’s running for president, behind the scenes, discussions are being held about staffing up in New Hampshire.A source close to Biden's national team told WMUR on Wednesday that they are “getting close” on some staff in the first-primary state but have not yet nailed down specific hires.The source said the Biden team has been talking to potential staffers for New Hampshire and is in the process of making “final decisions.”For about a month, sources have told WMUR that Biden is expected to make his announcement soon after he spends Easter with his family. A source said Wednesday that at this point, it is not entirely clear if the launch will come next week or within a few days after that. Biden has been expected to make the announcement sometime in April.We reported three weeks ago that people working closely with Biden have reached out to key Granite Staters to discuss the likelihood that Biden will announce his candidacy for president in April and to discuss staffing.Meanwhile, Biden led a recent Saint Anselm College poll of likely Democratic presidential primary voters, released on April 10. Biden received the support of 23 percent of those polled, while Sen. Bernie Sanders receive 15.6 percent. Mayor Peter Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, was in third place with nearly 11 percent. This week, a national poll of Democratic primary voters conducted by Emerson College polling showed Sanders leading Biden, 29 percent to 24 percent, with Buttigieg at 8 percent.Further fanning speculation that his announcement is imminent, Biden will head to New England on Thursday, but he’ll stop short of coming to New Hampshire. He is scheduled to speak to a rally of striking Shop and Stop workers in Dorchester, Massachusetts, at 2 p.m., joined by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.Earlier Wednesday, we reported that U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts is expected to announce that he's a candidate for president early next week.For additional New Hampshire Primary Source news, click on the item headlines below:U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton expected to enter presidential race early next weekSteyer says NextGen’s efforts in NH helped swing midterms to DemocratsHarris adds Taylor as deputy political director as she prepares for NH visitShaheen quarterly reports shows $1 million from individuals, $400,000 from PACsPappas sets 20-year record for first quarter of off-year fundraisingU.S.Rep. Tulsi Gabbard joins Democratic presidential crowd in NHU.S. Rep. William Hurd headed to NH (but he’s not running for president)Poll shows Granite Staters like state’s colleges, universitiesJohn DiStaso can be reached at jdistaso@hearst.com or distasoj@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jdistaso and on Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnDiStasoWMUR.)