As a New Hampshire native, I decided it was time to extend my goofy hobby to the presidential primary. This project would be a bit unconventional: A grown man in his 40s, with no kids in tow, asking self-important politicians to pose with a toy. It would be easy to dismiss me as frivolous; there was zero PR risk in brushing me aside. Still, I knew my mission was at least possible—an Iowa guy pulled it off with his Mr. Potato Head in 2008. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, and every major contender that year posed with the plastic spud—except for one, future Vice President Joe Biden, who declared he didn’t “take pictures with funny hats or funny toys.”

During my quest, which took six months—chasing candidates at diners, parades, campaign headquarters, and house parties—only two candidates viewed me with suspicion. Rand Paul said I was welcome to hold Dino while standing next to him; he was apparently wary of touching Dino even after shaking so many germ-infested hands. And Clinton, too, insisted that I get in the picture with her. (Eight years ago, she posed with Mr. Potato Head alone. Alas.)

My project was apolitical with no hidden agenda, but I couldn’t blame candidates for being suspicious. The Internet is littered with gotcha moments, and candidates have only seconds to determine if a photo-op is friendly or an underhanded trick. Luckily, most of the 2016 candidates recognized my stuffed-animal request for what it was: a lighthearted moment on the campaign trail. Lindsey Graham earnestly promised to put Dino on the endangered-species list if elected. Scott Walker told me his kids once won a Flintstones-themed costume contest. Martin O’Malley put down his Guinness and told me I looked exactly like the trombone player in his band.

It’s tempting to analyze the body language of the candidates as they held Dino, like the pundits do at debates. Some confidently grabbed him with one hand (Marco Rubio, Chris Christie). Others adopted a more nurturing approach, cradling him with both hands (Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich). A few weeks before he dropped out of the race, Governor Rick Perry pinched Dino’s neck and held him like he was a dead fish.

But beyond proving how seriously the candidates take themselves, I’m not going to pretend my Dino photos have captured any valuable insights into who belongs in the Oval Office. If one of these men or women can balance the budget, defeat ISIS, and humanely handle illegal immigration, it won’t be because they like the same cartoons I do. Besides, the Dino project is about ignoring politics and enjoying the candidates as real people. That’s the magic of the New Hampshire primary: After a campaign speech, you can have an unscripted moment with the next leader of the free world.

Jeb Bush

Independence Day Parade Amherst, New Hampshire July 2015