Posted by student TIM GIATTINA – With her presidential campaign seemingly on the line, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton shocked pundits and staged one of the great political comebacks in New Hampshire primary history. Both exit polls and tracking polls in the days leading up to Tuesday’s contest showed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama with a comfortable double-digit cushion. However, record turnout, a sizable advantage among women voters, and a rare glimpse into the emotional side of Clinton propelled the former First Lady to victory in the Granite State.
Adding her own chapter to the “comeback” storybook her husband crafted in the 1992 primary here, Clinton prevailed with 39 percent of the vote, with Obama garnering 36 percent and former Sen. John Edwards a distant third at 17 percent. Her first place finish halted the momentum the Obama campaign enjoyed since decisively winning the Iowa caucuses last week and further damaged Edward’s hopes of realistically competing for the nomination.
Moving forward, the Democratic field looks to be narrowing to a two horse race, with Edwards quickly falling after his latest strategy of allying with Obama to attack Clinton failed to resonate with voters. That said, the race is still a toss-up between Clinton and Obama, with both gearing up for caucuses in Nevada and primaries in South Carolina, Florida, and “Super Tuesday” on February 5th.
On the Republican side, Arizona Sen. John McCain continued to build momentum and completed his own New Hampshire comeback story. Tanking in the polls all summer and much of the fall, a few key endorsements recently turned the tide for McCain, and conservatives rallied around the Arizona veteran to deliver him the victory with 37 percent of the vote. Seizing on growing popularity, the Republican establishment is pleased with an emerging candidate the Democrats recognize as a formidable opponent in the general election. McCain’s viability in November may compel both conservative leaders and voters to send resources his way, proving critical as he attempts to break away from the pack in upcoming contests.
The 32 percent second place finish for Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will likely begin the fading of his star, unless he again pumps more of his own dollars into the campaign. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee claimed his encouraging 11 percent third place a success as he narrowly edged out the rest of the crowded Republican field, finishing slightly ahead of Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Congressman Ron Paul. Huckabee now looks to return to more comfortable territory and win South Carolina, where he hopes to court the social conservative vote.
The focus of the wide-open race for the GOP nomination now turns to Michigan, South Carolina, and Florida.
Tim Giattina is a Clinton School student on the ground in New Hampshire.
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