MANCHESTER, N.H. — Mitt Romney will win the Republican presidential
primary in New Hampshire, giving the former Massachusetts governor a
clean sweep of the first two primary contests.
The Associated
Press and television news networks projected a Romney victory in the
Granite State’s first-in-the-nation primary just minutes after polls
closed at 8 p.m., suggesting he would shut out his opponents by a wide
margin — and that a last-minute flurry of rancorous attacks did little
to knock Romney down from his longstanding position of dominance in the
race for the GOP nomination.
Romney took the stage at his election-night party in Manchester to the song "Born Free," flanked by his wife, Ann, and his sons — all five in crisp, white shirts.
Romney's victory speech Tuesday stood in stark contrast to one he gave one week earlier in Iowa, where he delivered an impassive version of his stump speech after winning the state caucuses by just eight votes.
"Americans know that our future is brighter and better than these troubles times," Romney said, as applause and cheers briefly interrupted him. "The president has run out of ideas. Now he's running out of excuses. And tonight, we're asking the good people of South Carolina to join the good citizens of New Hampshire and make 2012 the year he runs out of time."
"Tonight, we made history," Romney said. "Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we go back to work."
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