CONCORD, N.H. (Jan. 8)—Hillary Clinton supporters had something to celebrate Tuesday night with an unexpected win in the New Hampshire Democrat primary.
Clinton, a New York state senator won the primary with 39 percent of the vote, after a tight race with Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
“Let’s give America the kind of comeback New Hampshire just gave me,” Clinton said after the results were announced. Clinton lost to Obama in the Iowa caucus last week.
Clinton promised hope and change as she addressed an exhilarated, cheering crowd. “Too many have been invisible for too long but they’re not invisible to me,” she said.
Clinton also offered praise for the other Democratic candidates. “They put themselves on the line day and night on behalf of this country we love so much,” she said.
Hundreds of supporters filled the gymnasium at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H., as the primary results came rolling in. Cheers filled the air just after 10:30 p.m. when the news came in that Clinton had been declared the winner. Many were proudly sporting Hillary campaign t-shirts, buttons, hats and signs.
“She has it in her heart to serve the country,” Angie Cande, 52, of Bedford, N.H., said. “I think she’s worked hard all her life, and she’s worked hard on this campaign.” Cande had been a volunteer for Clinton’s campaign for several months and says she will continue to volunteer as the race continues.
Bonnie Ensinger, 44, also of Bedford, said a potential female candidate brings a new perspective to the office. “Having a different gender in the White House will definitely bring change,” she said.
So far in this election, one change is in voter turnout. It’s rising. Forty-eight percent of New Hampshire’s voting age population made a stop the polls. That’s approximately 500,000 voters. The Democrat party received 280,000 ballots and the Republicans received 220,000.
Teresa Conley, 32, of Boston, Mass., traveled to the Democrat primary events throughout the evening to show her support. She respects the opinions of all the candidates, she said, and would be happy to see any win the Democratic nomination. But she praised Clinton’s ability to remain strong after previous defeat.
“I think this implies how well she’s doing, especially after Iowa,” Conley said. “She’s still in the race and it’s going to be a good one.”
(Melissa Daniels, a sophomore newspaper and music history major, is covering the New Hampshire primary for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.)
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