John DiStaso, a veteran political reporter in New Hampshire who covered 11 first-in-the-nation presidential primaries, interviewing countless candidates and providing analysis on campaigns and elections, died Thursday after suffering a prolonged illness. He was 68.

DiStaso, who spent the last seven years as a political reporter for WMUR-TV, was known for doggedly pursuing stories and asking tough questions on the campaign trail. He was nicknamed the “dean” of the New Hampshire political press corps. The station announced his death Friday.