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.

Romney wins N.H. primary; Paul in 2nd and Huntsman 3rd

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Republican front-runner Mitt Romney captured the nation's first primary election Tuesday, easily rebuffing aggressive attacks by a host of challengers.

"Thank you New Hampshire. Tonight we made history," Romney told well-wishers, flanked by wife Ann, the couple's five sons and extended family. "Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we go back to work."
STORY: Can 2-for-2 Romney be stopped?
PHOTOS: GOP candidates in New Hampshire
Romney is the first Republican to sweep the first two contests in a competitive race since Iowa gained the lead-off spot in presidential campaigns in 1976. His win here sets the stage for a potentially bloody battle in the next GOP battleground state, South Carolina, which holds its primary Jan. 21.
With 92% of precincts reporting, the former Massachusetts governor had 39% of the vote, followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 23% and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman with 17%. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich had nearly 10% of the vote, with former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum trailing with 9%. Texas Gov. Rick Perry lagged with less than 1%.

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, here greeting voters outside the Webster School polling place in Manchester, N.H., took second in the primary.
The battle for second was won with surprising strength by the quirky populist Paul, whose small-government message resonated with enough voters to defeat a surging Huntsman and Santorum, the runner-up to Romney at last week's Iowa caucuses.
"I sort of have to chuckle when they describe you and me as being dangerous," a jubilant Paul told supporters here. "That's the one thing they are telling the truth. We are dangerous to the status quo of this country."

By Alex Wong, Getty Images
Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman greets voters at Ward 1 polling place Jan. 10 in Manchester, N.H.
Like Paul, Huntsman said he was setting his sights on winning the upcoming GOP primary in South Carolina. His finish here gives him "a ticket to ride," he said.
"As we look at the numbers now, we're in a strong, confident position — and all eyes are going to be south (on South Carolina) from here," Huntsman told CNN.

By T.J. Kirkpatrick, Getty Images
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum makes the rounds on Radio Row during the nation's first primary on Jan. 10 in Manchester, N.H.
Despite their lagging results Tuesday, Santorum and Gingrich both told supporters that they would remain in the race. There are lots of contests still to come, Santorum told reporters earlier in Manchester. "There's going to be lots of opportunities to rise and fall," he said.
Santorum, who rocketed to prominence with a virtual tie with Romney in Iowa, said there wasn't time enough to capitalize on that momentum before New Hampshire's primary and that he would be content to pull a double-digit percentage of the votes.
Despite a relatively low unemployment rate of 5.2% — vs. the national unemployment rate of 8.5% — the economy was the top concern of New Hampshire voters, according to results of an exit poll conducted by Edison Research for the Associated Press and TV networks. Among them, 45% favored Romney. About one third of those polled said their main criterion in picking a candidate was finding one who can defeat President Obama in the 2012 Presidential election. The survey was conducted at 40 randomly selected sites here, and the preliminary results are based on interviews with 1,774 voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/-4 percentage points.
Romney's victory speech focused on Obama for his economic policies.
"The last three years have lot of change, but they haven't offered much hope," Romney said. "We know it must be better and it will be better. That conviction guides our campaign. Americans know that our future is brighter and better than these troubled times. The president has run out of ideas. Now he's running out of excuses."
Romney had spent the last two days explaining and defending an offhand comment that he liked "being able to fire people." That comment attracted fire from Huntsman and Perry, among others, who used that quote to reinforce a withering assault on Romney for his role in the private equity firm Bain Capital, which took over companies and sometimes laid off workers.
A former ambassador to China in the Obama administration, Huntsman spent the final 48 hours trying to capitalize on a notable debate exchange with Romney, who had criticized Huntsman for serving in Obama's administration. Huntsman countered that he had put his country ahead of partisan politics.
Perry had also criticized Romney over his role at Bain Capital, calling him a "vulture capitalist."
The anti-Romney sentiment didn't rock all Granite State voters.
Shannon Taber, 37, a bartender, voted for Romney because she said she's looking for "basically someone who can beat Obama."
She said she likes Romney's experience and the fact that polls show he's got support. As a Republican, she feels "it's time to band together and pick someone."
Kevin Langelier, 42, an unemployed accountant, said he liked Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts.
"He's got a successful career as a businessman and I think he can do a lot for the economy," Langelier said. "I think he can beat Obama. I don't think anyone else is electable."
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Contributing: David Jackson in Concord, N.H.; Catalina Camia in McLean, Va.; the Associated Press

Only easy victory, then attack Obama on Romney raised loosely to 2-0

Mitt Romney wins the vote in New Hampshire, with a clear lead. The victory is already established early in the evening. Romney's acceptance speech then is primarily an attack on President Obama. His Republican opponent, who had attacked him violently recently, he mentioned only one short sentence.
Was this really the first "Primary" battle of the code or even the great duel Romney against Obama? After the victory speech to judge, the Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was clearly satisfied in Manchester, you'd think at least, the campaign had already arrived in the fall.

"The President has no more ideas," scolded Romney, as the outcome in New Hampshire was set. Obama had "failed as a leader," the past three years have only delivered "broken promises" and ruled against the American belief in success. "He wants to transform the country into an entitlement society on the European model," said Romney. "We want however to ensure that it remains a land of freedom and opportunity."

After counting nearly 90 percent of all election districts of the former governor of Massachusetts came to nearly 40 percent of the vote. Behind the Libertarian Ron Paul with 23 percent and Jon Huntsman follow with 17 percent. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich came on only 10 percent.

"Do not pull down the hatred of success"

His opponents, who had last attacked violently had mentioned, Romney only in a short sentence. Some "desperate Republican" had "allied" with the hated president quipped Romney. "This is such a mistake for our party and country." Instead, we must stand together and not "pull down let the hatred of others to success" - a direct appeal to his own camp, him whom they represent as a greedy ex-manager, to finally accept.

Especially for Huntsman was the result of a crushing defeat: He had intense campaigning in New Hampshire made. The next vote for him in South Carolina could even bring an early end of the primary campaign. Romney dominates even there, he would hardly have liked to attack.

The vote in New Hampshire was the first code on a system of "primaries". Iowa had previously been with his " caucus "made a start. There, Romney won with eight votes majority against Santorum.