Romney celebrating a clear victory in New Hampshire

"This is the night where we have made history": After the second delay of the Republicans, Mitt Romney sees himself as a challenger to the U.S. president. In New Hampshire, he won much - and then attacks on Barack Obama head on. Jon Huntsman outsider manages a respectable success.

The U.S. Republican Mitt Romney 's presidential candidacy against Barack Obama with the second primaries one big step closer. In the State of New Hampshire, he was able to prevail with a clear lead against its competitors.

After the counting of 85 percent of the vote, the former Massachusetts governor won about 39 percent of the vote, several TV stations consistently reported. Accordingly, landed in second place, Congressman Ron Paul (23 percent), in third place, the former governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman (17 percent).

"This is the night where we have made ​​history," said a triumphant Romney pointedly to his supporters in Manchester. In the presidential elections in November, "it's about the soul of America." He described Obama as a failed president . Romney had been the first area code in just a week ago won Iowa.

However, his opponent made ​​it clear that they do not want to throw in the towel. "There is no question, the dynamics with which we have begun to break now," said Paul, a libertarian extreme candidate who enters for a widespread retreat of the state. They stay on the heels of Romney. Paul called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from different countries. The U.S. could not afford it, "world policeman" to be.

Huntsman also made it clear that he would continue. "Third place is a ticket, you can continue with," said Huntsman. He will attend at the next vote in South Carolina 21 January start.

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, came only after the information on ten percent of the vote. Even the strictly conservative Rick Santorum, who had become a week ago in Iowa yet reached second, only ten percent. Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, landed with a percentage cut off last place.

Romney does surveys also according to the following January primaries in South Carolina and Florida as a favorite. Even after national polls, he is ahead.

Strangers to the base

The multi-millionaire has been collected the most donations and a well organized campaign team in the back. Statewide polls have shown, however, that strangers large parts of the party base with Romney: Many Republicans think he is not flawless conservatives, because he took on issues such as abortion or gun laws used to be more liberal views.

Increasingly in recent days also came Romney's past at the investment firm Bain Capital in the criticism that buying equity in distressed companies and those rehabilitated often without regard to jobs. So he threw against competitors Gingrich, have "plundered" the acquired company.