Romney wins in New Hampshire primary
Source: Agencies |
January 12, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MITT Romney easily won the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, leaving his opponents in disarray and taking a big step toward becoming his party's choice to run against President Barack Obama in November.
Romney garnered 39 percent of the vote - a 16-percentage point advantage over his closest challenger, Texas congressman Ron Paul. The decisive victory in Tuesday's primary followed Romney's narrow win in last week's Iowa caucuses, giving him powerful momentum ahead of the crucial South Carolina primary on January 21. A win there could make Romney all but unstoppable.
Because of his appeal to independent voters, Romney could be the toughest potential rival for Obama, whose popularity has fallen because of the slow US economic recovery.
Romney was the favorite going into New Hampshire's primary. He is the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, has a vacation home on a New Hampshire lake and his business background was appealing.
He emerged with no clear rival to challenge him as front-runner.
Paul was second with 23 percent, with 95 percent of precincts reporting. It was his second strong showing after finishing third in Iowa. But he remains a longshot, as his calls for military cuts, withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and legalizing drugs puts him at odds with the Republican mainstream.
Third-placed former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman - on 17 percent - also appears unlikely to win the nomination. His role as Obama's first ambassador to China does not endear him to Republicans with harsh views of the president.
Meanwhile, the candidates most likely to draw conservative voters - Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Rick Perry - struggled.
In his victory speech, Romney turned his fire on Obama. "The president has run out of ideas ... now he's running out of excuses."
Obama, running unopposed, won the Democratic primary.
Romney garnered 39 percent of the vote - a 16-percentage point advantage over his closest challenger, Texas congressman Ron Paul. The decisive victory in Tuesday's primary followed Romney's narrow win in last week's Iowa caucuses, giving him powerful momentum ahead of the crucial South Carolina primary on January 21. A win there could make Romney all but unstoppable.
Because of his appeal to independent voters, Romney could be the toughest potential rival for Obama, whose popularity has fallen because of the slow US economic recovery.
Romney was the favorite going into New Hampshire's primary. He is the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, has a vacation home on a New Hampshire lake and his business background was appealing.
He emerged with no clear rival to challenge him as front-runner.
Paul was second with 23 percent, with 95 percent of precincts reporting. It was his second strong showing after finishing third in Iowa. But he remains a longshot, as his calls for military cuts, withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and legalizing drugs puts him at odds with the Republican mainstream.
Third-placed former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman - on 17 percent - also appears unlikely to win the nomination. His role as Obama's first ambassador to China does not endear him to Republicans with harsh views of the president.
Meanwhile, the candidates most likely to draw conservative voters - Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Rick Perry - struggled.
In his victory speech, Romney turned his fire on Obama. "The president has run out of ideas ... now he's running out of excuses."
Obama, running unopposed, won the Democratic primary.
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