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| Revenge of the Angry Old Men: dispatch from New Hampshire | This is the second of our weekly newsletters from our North America correspondents offering NewsMail subscribers unique insights into the US election campaign. This week, a rugged up Zoe Daniel looks at the game-changing result in New Hampshire.
Unless you've been under a rock you'll by now be aware that the boisterous businessman Donald Trump finally got the victory he's been looking for on the Republican side, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders took more than 60% of the vote to win the Democratic contest in the nation's first Primary.
With a summary of polls based on weighted averages released ahead of the vote by the excellent FiveThirtyEight (if you like polling and you like data, this website is for you) putting Trump at 69% for the win and Sanders at more than 99%, some would say the result was predictable and perhaps not all that exciting.
I beg to differ.
Here's why I think it's a political game changer (yes that's a catch-cry from another race not so long ago).
Six months ago both of these men were dismissed as rank outsiders, renegade, unelectable prospects who might be able to spout populist slogans but could never actually get the votes or the backers.
Donald Trump, with his money, his reality show stardom and his seeming lack of boundaries was all but dismissed as a joke candidate.
The 74-year-old self-confessed socialist senator Bernie Sanders was just too left wing for America. Socialism is something to fear isn't it? Unless you're from Sweden or Denmark? Right, Marco Rubio?
Now, both have seconds in Iowa (Bernie by a sliver) and landslide victories in New Hampshire, and whether they win the nomination or not in the end, they've changed the national conversation.
Here's what you need to know for this weekend's debate around the BBQ, but keep it nice and keep your tongs to yourself!
Victors
Donald Trump
Donald Trump won with more than twice the vote of his nearest rival. Thanking his supporters in Manchester he said "you started it, remember, you started it."
John Kasich
"Who?" I can hear you asking. It's Ohio Governor John Kasich who, according to sources, held 190 pre-poll events in New Hampshire, which was good enough to fetch him second place. Kasich has lots of support among more progressive Republicans who like his down to earth attitude, pragmatic approach and optimism! Yes, there's still some of that out there people!
His folksy demeanor worked a treat in New Hampshire. On a campaign stop at Manchester's Red Arrow diner with a couple of other hopefuls he got behind the counter and started serving coffee. That's cute.
And, at a town hall style event this week Kasich was quizzed heavily by a woman in the crowd about his policies. After answering her questions he asked if he'd convinced her to give him her support. When she said almost but not quite, he directed his staff to give her his personal mobile phone number and told her to call him later.
He'll probably hang around long enough to contest his home state of Ohio. Until then, we should get used to more of his classic dad jokes.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders took 60 per cent of the Democrat vote and within that 85% of the votes of young people under 29 (as in Iowa). Not bad for a 74-year-old, right?
Vanquished
Carly Fiorina
The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard who packed a punch in the debates but couldn't gain any traction on the trail dropped out after another disappointing showing in New Hampshire – but she didn't go out quietly, taking another swipe at the other woman left in the presidential race – Hillary Clinton.
Chris Christie
He was dubbed "Kamikaze Christie" after his verbal assault on Marco Rubio in last weekend's debate and the nickname certainly stuck for the big-talking Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, who said fifth place would be good enough for his campaign to continue. Unfortunately for the New Jersey Governor, he came in sixth place in New Hampshire and pulled the pin on his presidential bid.
Hillary Clinton
Yes, Hillary Clinton lives on past New Hampshire and she has some scars to prove it. The former Secretary of State lost big to Bernie Sanders as predicted and now has to make her Southern firewall stand up over the next month against a wave of momentum in Bernie's favour.
Marco Rubio
Florida Senator Marco Rubio did well in Iowa and looked the goods for establishment Republicans who can't stomach Trump or Cruz, but Rubio stumbled at the weekend debate and didn't realise how much he'd dropped the ball until he logged onto Twitter. He looked pale in New Hampshire, literally and metaphorically. He's promised to bounce back after he slipped to a fifth-placed finish.
Man vs. Machine
But Rubio's reputation may already be tarnished. His tendency to get stuck on repeat, more than once, haunted him on Tuesday in the form of two Robot Rubios that followed him around New Hampshire.
The pair was programmed by a liberal Super PAC but Team Rubio weren't impressed as things got physical outside a polling station. The well-oiled machines continued to show up repeatedly throughout the day.
Also worth knowing
In the still crowded Republican field behind Trump and Kasich there wasn't much in it with the contenders jostling for the minor placings. Iowa winner and hardliner Ted Cruz did about as well as he'd expect in moderate New Hampshire, coming in third, about 1,879 votes up on Jeb Bush who made up enough ground not to feel he has to quit the race.
He shoots, he scores!
Moments before the polls closed in New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders was caught on camera shooting hoops with his children and grandchildren in Concord.
The last time a presidential hopeful made headlines for sinking baskets like that? Barack Obama, who nailed a three-pointer on his first try, while visiting troops in Kuwait in 2008. That seemed to work out okay for him too.
By the Numbers
51,178 – that's how many more people voted for Bernie Sanders than Donald Trump.
In a crowded field you need fewer votes to win (duh). Trump got 100,406 while Sanders pulled in 151,584. It's worth noting that Hillary Clinton got close to the same number of actual votes as Donald Trump with 95,252.
Ad of the Week
Ted Cruz mightn't have won New Hampshire but he did score points for having one of the more creative campaign ads this week introducing the "Trump Action Figure", which "pretends to be a Republican".
Weather report
Yes it was snowy and cold in New Hampshire but oh so pretty. Primary day dawned fresh, powdery and sparkling white. We just had to share these pics of the tiny town of Canterbury (pop 2400) where we spent our morning observing and talking to voters. It was so pretty it could have been a movie set.
Soundtrack of the week
Our correspondent Stephanie March reports that Bernie Sanders exited an event in Manchester to Star Man by David Bowie. A good call according to us.
State slogans
Last week it was "Iowa nice", this week the almost unbeatable New Hampshire slogan, proudly emblazoned on road signs and number plates "Live Free or Die". We reckon that says a lot about current political sentiment.
Ok, so what's next?
The Republicans have turned their attention to South Carolina, where they'll hit the debate stage again on Saturday night before votes are cast on February 20.
The Democrats will be trying their luck at winning over voters on the same day in Nevada.
A wise man said to me
Former ABC News US correspondent Craig McMurtrie (full disclosure: he's now my boss) has been in touch. "Enjoy South Carolina - if past races are anything to go by (and they probably aren't) it often changes the contest."
Noted. It's early days in this very long and truly fascinating process.
We will have teams on the ground at both Republican (February 20) and Democratic Primaries (February 27).
As Hillary Clinton told her supporters as she conceded in New Hampshire: "Onward". |  | | | About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. This message was sent to you at starnewsposting@gmail.com. Please add newslists@your.abc.net.au to your email address book to see images by default and stop the email being treated as spam. This email address is not monitored - Please don't reply to this email. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Add or remove topics | Unsubscribe | Contact Us |
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