Enlarge By Mike Segar, Reuters Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and his wife Cindy acknowledge supporters at his primary night victory rally in Nashua, N.H., Tuesday.  RESULTS: JANUARY 8, 2008 New Hampshire Complete results Democrats Vote % Del Clinton 97,005 39 9 Obama 91,021 37 9 Edwards 41,926 17 4 Richardson 11,398 5 0 Kucinich 3,435 1 0 Total Write-ins 2,123 1 0 Biden 556 0 0 Gravel 349 0 0 88% of precincts Updated: 11:47 PM Republicans Vote % Del McCain 76,689 37 7 Romney 65,059 31 4 Huckabee 22,863 11 1 Giuliani 17,813 9 0 Paul 15,901 8 0 Total Write-ins 3,524 2 0 Thompson 2,486 1 0 Hunter 1,019 0 0 87% of precincts Updated: 11:47 PM  CAMPAIGN ISSUES: 2008 Click on the titles to learn more about where the presidential candidates stand on the issues: • WAR IN IRAQ The war in Iraq is the dominant issue in the 2008 race for the White House. The early primary votes will be cast as the conflict completes its fifth year. The next president will be the first to take the oath of office during an ongoing war since Richard Nixon in 1969. • IMMIGRATION Immigration is a highly divisive issue, as concerns about terrorism amplify the debate about border security. Congress has failed to enact immigration legislation because of differences between supporters of tougher enforcement to limit illegal entry into the country and advocates of amnesty for illegal immigrants. • HEALTH CARE Polls indicate that health care is one of the most important issues to voters heading into the 2008 presidential elections. The rising cost of health insurance and the growing number of uninsured give the issue added urgency. Several candidates have called for universal health care; others have said these plans amount to socialized medicine. • EDUCATION White House hopefuls are divided on the federal government's role in education as Congress considers changes to President Bush's signature schools law, the No Child Left Behind Act, and how to make college affordable. • ABORTION In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in the landmark case Roe v. Wade and the ruling has been the subject of heated political debate ever since. Presidential candidates over the years have weighed in on a variety of abortion-related topics. • GAY CIVIL RIGHTS The issue of civil rights for gay men and lesbians -- including the definition of marriage, service in the military and protection against hate crimes -- has long divided the two major political parties. It's not as simple as saying Democrats are for them, and Republicans are against them.  TRACE THE '08 RACE IN POLLS • USA TODAY's interactive presidential poll tracker helps you dig into the polling trends nationwide and in major primary states.  Enlarge By Win McNamee, Getty Images A New Hampshire resident leaves a voting booth after casting his vote in the New Hampshire presidential primary at the Ward 3 Carol M. Rines Center Tuesday in Manchester, N.H.

"I want, especially, to thank New Hampshire. Over the last week, I listened to you, and in the process, I found my own voice," a beaming Clinton told her supporters Tuesday night.

Clinton's stunning victory — she trailed Obama by double digits in some recent New Hampshire polls — comes a little less than 16 years after her husband, former president Bill Clinton, rebounded to a second-place finish here that ignited his own struggling presidential campaign. He proclaimed himself "The Comeback Kid" in his 1992 post-primary speech, and his wife made an indirect reference to that moment Tuesday night.

"Together, let's give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me," she told supporters.

Arizona senator McCain had a similar sentiment. "Tonight, we sure showed them what a comeback looks like," McCain told his supporters as they chanted, "Mac is back."

With 87% of Democratic precincts reporting, Clinton held a 39%-37% lead over Obama. McCain led Romney, a former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, 37%-32% with 86% of GOP precincts reporting.

For Obama, fresh off a victory in last week's Iowa caucuses, the defeat was an unexpected setback.

"I am still fired up and ready to go," Obama said in congratulating Clinton. "A few weeks ago, no one could imagine we could accomplish what we did here tonight in New Hampshire."

The margin between Clinton and Obama did not vary by more than a few percentage polls all night. Former North Carolina senator John Edwards was in third place on the Democratic side with 17%, followed by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson at 5%.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, the winner of Iowa's Republican caucuses, was third on the GOP side at 11%. He was followed by former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani with 9% and Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 8%.

Older voters and women appear to have been among Clinton's greatest sources of strength. According to exit polls, she out-polled Obama among voters 40 and older — about two-thirds of all those surveyed. Obama fared better than Clinton among those younger than 40, and appears to have won two-thirds of the vote of those 24 and younger.

Fifty-seven percent of Democratic voters were women, according to exit polling, and Clinton took 47% of those voters as compared to 34% for Obama. The Illinois senator did capture 42% of the male Democratic vote to Clinton's 30%, but only 43% of Democratic voters were male.

Political analyst Charles Cook called McCain's victory "the greatest comeback since Lazarus" and attributed it to "an enormous vacuum in the Republican Party. With Huckabee the winner in Iowa and McCain in New Hampshire — and Giuliani still hopeful about winning Florida's primary on Jan. 29 — "we may be settling in for a long haul on the Republican side, Cook said.

McCain's win crowns a comeback from the fall, when his campaign was nearly out of money and he had sunk in the polls. But with several of the Arizona senator's rivals claiming pockets of support elsewhere, and with Huckabee's win last week in Iowa, the Republican field looks even more divided than the Democrats.

"Tonight we're going to come out of here with continued momentum," Huckabee told supporters.

For Romney, the loss is a tough blow. He spent millions of dollars in hopes of winning Iowa and New Hampshire, and now he has lost both races.

"I'd rather have a gold" medal, he told supporters. He vowed to stay in the race and set his sights on the primary in Michigan in one week. He was raised in Michigan and his father George Romney was governor there.

Noting that less than 1% of Americans had yet to be given the opportunity to vote, Edwards also vowed to fight on.

"Those 99% (who have not voted) deserve to have their voices heard, because we have had too much of those voices not being heard," he said.

On an unseasonably balmy day, a record 500,000 people voted in the nation's first primary. Large numbers of voters, many lining up before dawn, turned out in spring-like weather Tuesday to pick their favorites.

Earlier Tuesday, the candidates made their last pitches to New Hampshire voters. Obama spoke at Dartmouth College while his relatives in Kenya gathered outside near a radio, waiting to hear results.

In Manchester, Giuliani, Huckabee and Romney ran into each other outside Brookside Congregational Church in Manchester, where 50 voters lined up before dawn to cast ballots.

Giuliani waved off a question about his decline in polls, pointing to the church and saying, "The only poll I'm interested in is the one that goes on inside there."

On the Democratic side, Clinton and her daughter Chelsea poured coffee for voters and a police officer at a Manchester elementary school before dawn.

Her husband also campaigned for his wife. In Exeter, N.H., he was asked if he had any advice for her.

"If you think you'd be the best president, you've got to keep trusting people and don't quit," Bill Clinton said. "These things go through a zillion cycles. You just have to believe in your self as a servant of the American people, and you have to believe in what you're trying to do and trust the people to make the right decision."

As the night wore on, the former president's comment proved prescient.

Contributing: Jill Lawrence, David Jackson, Martha T. Moore and Susan Page in New Hampshire; Randy Lilleston and Mark Memmott in McLean, Va.; Associated Press

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Comments: (2,456)

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Fighter Dog wrote: 5m ago

ray davies wrote: 4m ago
VOTE FOR THE BIGGER IDIOT
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Choice 1)
redstatewarrior1 wrote: 2m ago
Is Maine a State?



Choice 2)

dcdccherry wrote: 4m ago

yAH DUDE iM REAL SCARED YOU HASVENT EVEN HAD ENOUGH GUTS TO JOIN THE ARMY YOU PANTY WAIST LIBERAL WHINER.

The bigger question is which candidate is this red goof ball and dcdc moron behind? Because most of the time the only thing they get behind are the pigs on their farms? Those poor squealing pigs!!!

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someguy110 wrote: 5m ago

proeducation wrote: 5m ago
I want confirmation from a reputable MD that Hillary is female. America ought to be on their knees in prayer that she does not make the run off. You thought her husband was immoral and deceptive, if she gets elected she will make Bill look like an amateur manipulator and liar. She's out for herself at the cost of American values and America's future.

With the diversity of democratic candidates, please save America from Hillary...and Bill.
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Exactly, she bashes everything Bush has done but she herself voted for it

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NMMI CPT wrote: 6m ago

Maybe Iowa was the best thing to happen to Clinton. It fired up her campaign, and set the stage for a 2-3% victory in NH to look like a huge upset win rather than a razor-thin victory. Perhaps Edwards comes out benefitting also. Since both Obama and Clinton have now been up and down, neither has delivered the knockout blow and Edwards can still continue on. As long as the bandwagon effect doesn't get too out of control, Edwards could win a couple big states and be right back into it. Who knows what will happen from here? At least as a political junkie I can look forward to a few more weeks of campaigning before it's all cut and dried.

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Fenway wrote: 6m ago

Wimper and you win New Hampshire.

What's next? Sob your way to the Democratic nomination?


Actually I was impressed that NH could look past what appeared to be a dent in the Clinton armour, and they seemed to vote for her on what they perceived as the issues. (Her wimpering would have scared me off her ticket.)

I agree with an earlier post which said this was essentially a tie with Obama, due to delegate votes. However, it has a lot of politcal milage for Clinton who we thought might to take a big hit today.

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hhkeller wrote: 8m ago

Congrat to all the candidates who took time to run.

There are many do nothings on this website.
What have you all done lately except yappa trap.

The people running for President put more effort in in one day that you all give in a lifetime.

Hillary deserves repect for trying.
Even if you don't like her ideas you should at least appreciate her effort.

Stop Yappa trapping and do something for the country.

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mase wrote: 8m ago

I've said it before and I will say it again...Marathon NOT a sprint. When you base your campaign on basically hoping college kids get you elected , I think that you are in trouble. I think that the reason there was a 13% turnaround in 24hrs is that the obama's liberal college backing ASSUMED that he was just going to roll and failed to even show up and vote. That is the risk when you depend so heavily on young votes. Short attention span and very fickle. Quick story.....Harvey Gant vs Jesse Helms 1990 NC senate race. I was a college sophmore and I like all my then liberal idealist college buddies were fired up to vote Gant in. Night before the election there is a MAJOR toga party on campus. Next day comes , we are still asleep when the polls close and Helms wins like is 30th term as senator.
In the end people are going to vote for the establised, experienced candidate. Obama is nice and all , but has no major experience and that will be I think is undoing.

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D wrote: 8m ago

Both Clinton and Obama received 9 delegates...seems more like a tie than a victory

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JJCharb wrote: 8m ago

Hey Vern wrote: 3m ago
OMG . . . that Hilldabeast is one gawd-awful ugly woman. No wonder Bubba Bill sleeps around.

In that picture of the Hilldabeast above, is that a carpet she's wearing? It's an appropriate attire for the Hilldabeast . . . she's the carpetbagging senator from New York.
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How old are you Vern? Most guys my age think she's hot. Not bad at all for 60.

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ray davies wrote: 8m ago

mako wrote: 5m ago
McCain can at least see out of one of those eyes, his wife ain't half bad.
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Is he winking or having a stroke?

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