New Hampshire Primary: Catch Up On What Happened
Sanders, Trump notch victories; Kasich takes GOP silver medal
Just after 8 p.m. Eastern, highly favored front-runners Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump were declared winners. An hour later, John Kasich secured the coveted second-place spot on the GOP side.
Chris Christie reassessing presidential bid
The New Jersey governor, who had needed a better showing in New Hampshire, is taking a break to reassess.
Trump: ‘We are going to make America so great!’
The Donald thanked supporters and even Bernie Sanders before launching into his stump speech about stemming illegal immigration, making better trade deals and, well, just winning.
“We are going to make our country so strong, we are going to start winning again — we don’t win anymore,” he said. “We are going to make America so great again, maybe greater than ever before.”
The Bern claims victory
The Vermont senator asserted that the results should serve notice to “the political and economic establishment” that the American people will not continue to accept a “corrupt campaign finance system” and “rigged economy” that benefits only the wealthiest.
“Because of a huge voter turnout — and I say YUUGE — we won, because we harnessed the energy and the excitement that the Democratic Party will need to succeed in November,” Sanders said. “What happened here in New Hampshire … is what will happen all over this country.”
Clinton concedes to Sanders
Hillary Clinton congratulated Bernie Sanders on his victory and urged her supporters to push forward and continue her quest for the nomination and ultimately the presidency so the country can continue the progress made under President Obama.
She talked about creating ladders of opportunity for Americans and ensuring LGBT, women’s and voting rights for all.
“When people anywhere in America are held back by injustice, that demands action,” she said.
“Human rights across the board for every single American — That is who I am that is what I’ve always done, that is why I’m in this race.”
Cruz congratulates Trump. No, really…
Oh, my
The Huffington Post, which once relegated Donald Trump coverage to its entertainment section, is not playing around now:
Meanwhile, at the Jim Gilmore primary night “party”
Trisha Thadani was there on the ground for USA TODAY bringing the latest news as it happened:
Ben Carson to New Hampshire: Thanks, see ya …
Ben Carson was lambasted last week for taking time off the campaign trail to head to Florida for a “fresh set of clothes.” Now he’s on the move again. He headed to South Carolina before the votes were even tallied in the Granite State.
“After several stops meeting with New Hampshire voters, supporters and media today, Dr. Carson will be en route to South Carolina to continue his campaign for faith, integrity and common sense leadership,” his campaign said in a statement.
Support for the retired neurosurgeon has tanked in the polls. In New Hampshire, he went from second place behind Trump in November to last place this week, according to RealClearPolitics. Earlier Tuesday, he was relegated to fielding questions about whether he would take a vice presidential slot on the ticket.
He told Fox Business that if Donald Trump is the nominee, “I certainly would sit down and discuss it with him.”
“I would have to have major philosophical alignment with whoever it was, and I would have to have guarantees that I could do some substantial things,” he said.
But Carson suggested he wasn’t ready to give up his own ambitions for the top spot.
“It’s truly not what I’m aiming to do,” he said. “I’m aiming to really change this country.”
Marco Roboto showdown
Democrats did some master trolling of Marco Rubio.
Folks dressed up as robots, including one dubbed “Marco Roboto,” have taunted Rubio at polling places and even got into some scuffles with the Florida senator’s supporters. In Manchester, a “robot” from American Bridge, a Democratic group, chased Rubio’s campaign bus and tried to stalk the senator himself.
“The ‘Talking Point 3000’ was swarmed and surrounded by Rubio supporters (and staff),” American Bridge reported, adding that he was “forcefully knocked to the ground.”
“But undeterred, The Talking Point 3000 sprung back up, like a (robotic) phoenix from the ashes of his former self, and continued to cheer on his fellow machine, Marco RubioBot, with the highest of energy.”
The hijinks are part of an effort to highlight Rubio’s performance in Saturday’s debate, when he repeated — over and over — what appeared to be canned talking points.
Trump being Trump
The Donald is simply doing what The Donald does, Sen. Ted Cruz tells reporters in New Hampshire who asked him what he thought of being called a p—y Monday by the real estate mogul.
“If you vote for me, we’re going to repeal every word of Obamacare,” Cruz said, ABC reports. “Donald can’t defend that substance. So instead his approach is to engage in a profane insult. I’m not going to respond in kind.”
As for Trump, he took a wee break from the trail, apparently:
Clinton, Fiorina share a moment
It wasn’t all nastiness at the polling places.
Carly Fiorina’s husband, Frank, ran into Hillary Clinton in Derry, N.H., and the two chit-chatted amicably about democracy and the process.
“(G)ive my best to Carly. Want to get a picture?” Clinton offered before making her way back to her motorcade.
