Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders swept to convincing victories in the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday night, providing them momentum for future contests and sending shock waves through the anxious political establishments of both parties.
New Hampshire voters sent a clear message by delivering decisive wins to two political outsiders, throwing the nominating contests for both parties into a direction that few would have expected six months ago.
Sanders’ victory Tuesday, coupled with a close second-place finish in Iowa, has elevated him as a serious challenger into a race that Hillary Clinton was expected to dominate. Even after his disappointing second place finish in Iowa, Trump’s dominance in the Granite State has taken a sensational story into a legitimate candidacy.
The Republicans
On the Republican side, Ohio Governor John Kasich is projected to finish second but the rest of the field was too close to call as of 11:30 p.m. ET. Kasich’s second place finish was critical for the future of his singularly-focused campaign. He placed all stock in the Granite state, spending more time there than any other Republican candidate.
Iowa winner Ted Cruz is in a close race with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Florida Jeb Bush, ensuring that they all will head to the next nominating states of South Carolina and Nevada.
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders swept to convincing victories in the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday night, providing them momentum for future contests and sending shock waves through the anxious political establishments of both parties.
New Hampshire voters sent a clear message by delivering decisive wins to two political outsiders, throwing the nominating contests for both parties into a direction that few would have expected six months ago.
Sanders’ victory Tuesday, coupled with a close second-place finish in Iowa, has elevated him as a serious challenger into a race that Hillary Clinton was expected to dominate. Even after his disappointing second place finish in Iowa, Trump’s dominance in the Granite State has taken a sensational story into a legitimate candidacy.
The Republicans
On the Republican side, Ohio Governor John Kasich is projected to finish second but the rest of the field was too close to call as of 11:30 p.m. ET. Kasich’s second place finish was critical for the future of his singularly-focused campaign. He placed all stock in the Granite state, spending more time there than any other Republican candidate.
Iowa winner Ted Cruz is in a close race with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Florida Jeb Bush, ensuring that they all will head to the next nominating states of South Carolina and Nevada.
As for the winners, Trump began to dominate the race after his entry last summer. He has bewildered party regulars with his bombastic style and his appeal to GOP voters disaffected with more traditional candidates.
Speaking to supporters, Trump tells them: “I’m not going to forget you. You started it.”
Establishment-minded Republicans had hoped that the state’s notoriously choosy voters would coalesce around one of their preferred candidates rather than affirming Trump, but no single challenger has emerged at the head of the pack.
Kasich pulled out a strong finish, getting emotional at the results.
“We plugged away and plugged away,” he told NBC News. “We labored in obscurity for months. …I always felt like we were going to finish second.”
He told supporters to “go get (a seat belt)” because “we’re going to shape this country from top to bottom.”
Read More at NBC News
