January 8, 2008

New Hampshire's Big Winners

Hillary Clinton and John McCain surge ahead

By Kathryn Satterfield

Two candidates hit the comeback trail on their way to the White House. Republican John McCain and Democrat Hillary Clinton won the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday. McCain, a senator from Arizona and former Vietnam War veteran, appealed to voters concerned with national security. Clinton, a senator from New York and former First Lady, hopes to become the nation's first woman President.

STEPHAN SAVOIA—AP Democrat Barack Obama at a rally in Nashua, New Hampshire

The New Hampshire primary is an important test for candidates to see how they might fare in the general election. Because it holds the first primary, New Hampshire's results are often said to influence how voters from other states will choose.

A primary is similar to a regular election. In a secret ballot, voters choose who they want to represent their political party in November's Presidential election. Each party's presidential candidate will be chosen at its convention later this year. There, delegates from each state represent voters from their political party. The number of delegates each candidate gets is based on the number of votes the candidate receives in the primary.

Changes in New Hampshire

Voter turnout was high in both the Democratic and Republican contests. "We're seeing tremendous excitement and enthusiasm all over the state," said New Hampshire Governor John Lynch. For the Democrats, Clinton earned 39% of the vote. Illinois senator Barack Obama came in a close second with 36% of the vote, and John Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, was third with 17%.

JUSTIN SULLIVAN—GETTY IMAGES Republican Mitt Romney speaks to supporters in Bedford, New Hampshire.

For the Republicans, McCain took 37% of the vote. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney came away with 31%. Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, was third with 11%.

The New Hampshire win breathed new life into the campaigns of both Clinton and McCain. "Nothing quite as invigorating as a win," said McCain, whose campaign had faltered in recent months. "Let's give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me," Clinton said.

The Road Ahead

Though historically significant, the New Hampshire primary is in no way the final word on who will be nominated to represent their party in November. Democrats will name their nominee at the national convention August 25-28, while Republicans will choose theirs September 1-4.

Michigan is the next stop on the campaign trail, with many more contests to follow. Candidates from both parties vowed to continue the fight. "I think voters are not going to let any candidate take anything for granted," Obama said. "They want us to earn it."

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