New Hampshire goes to Bernie

Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire primary

Democratic Socialist candidate Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire primary with 25.7% votes. He got 75,859 popular votes. Pete Buttigieg was close second with 24.4% votes. He got 72,126 votes. Senator Amy Klobuchar came third with 19.8% votes. She got 58,499 votes. Both Bernie and Pete will get 9 delegates each while Amy will get 06 delegates. 

 Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and ex-Vice President Joe Biden posted dismal single-digit figures. Elizabeth got 9.2% and Biden got 8% votes. Once considered as front runners both lost momentum in New Hampshire. As questions mount about whether Warren and Biden can last, so could unease amid moderate Democrats over populist firebrand Democratic Socialist Sanders’ increasing momentum.

Bernie Sanders has declared “a great victory” in the New Hampshire primary, after edging out rival Pete Buttigieg. “Let me say that this victory here is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump.” It was an important win for Bernie Sanders to keep the momentum.

He also said his “unprecedented grassroots movement” stretched from coast to coast. “What I can tell you with absolute certainty is… we are going to unite together and defeat the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country.”

Sanders’ win makes an argument that he is the front-runner in the race. His win powered by his strength among blue-collar, younger and more liberal voters.  It marks an extraordinary comeback for a candidate who was all but written off by many after he suffered a heart attack in early October.

Joe Biden seems on his way out because Pete Buttigieg is picking up his donors and voters. Both will soon face billionaire Michael Bloomberg whose deep pockets and endless ads are starting to pay off in the polls, meaning the moderate vote is now “wide open”.

The results leave Sanders tied overall with former mayor Buttigieg. The US Today points out that “since 1972, no Democratic candidate finishing lower than second in the New Hampshire primary has gone on to win the nomination” and in “the last six contested Democratic primaries, New Hampshire voted for the party’s eventual nominee half the time”.

Three candidates have dropped out after last night’s results came in. Businessman Andrew Yang, whose signature policy offered Americans a universal basic income, said the number showed it was time for him to step aside, calling it “bitterly disappointing”.

Colorado senator Michael Bennet also ended his campaign. Deval Patrick, the former Massachusetts governor, also announced to end his campaign.

                                               Khalid Bhatti