Mitt Romney Celebrates New Hampshire Primary Victory

Mitt Romney Celebrates New Hampshire Primary Victory.On Tuesday, Romney win gave a sweep first and second in the leadoff voting campaign 2012, for the first time any Republican besides a president, as the race moved to South Carolina Florida.

Conservative candidates who stand the best chance to stop there - former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Governor Rick Perry - were dragged back and it seemed unlikely that a major survey of its performances here.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was a second solid, but the expansion will have difficulty in showing in the states that are less favorable to the libertarian view on social issues and foreign policy.

Jon Huntsman Jr. was third weak, with only about half of Romney's share of the vote. The former governor of Utah, which concentrates most of his campaign in this state, insisted on moving forward.

Romney, who lost the state four years ago, tried to convey an air of inevitability to his nomination with a speech on Tuesday night celebration that focused more on the fall elections.

Speaking to a boisterous crowd of supporters in Manchester less than half an hour after the polls closed, the former governor of Massachusetts complained that President Obama "wants to put on a free trial." But it also had a hard blow to what he described as "desperate" Republican rivals, who have intensified their attacks on his record in private enterprise - a group that includes Perry, Gingrich and Huntsman.

"This is a mistake for us and for our nation," Romney said. "The country already has a leader that divides us the bitter politics of envy."

Romney, who flies to South Carolina Wednesday, he went directly to the voters of that state, urging them to make 2012 the year that Obama's presidency "run out of time."

Interviews of voters leaving their polling places showed a broad victory, sweeping the Republican Party favorite. He led most age groups, income and population, as well as voters across almost the entire political and ideological spectrum, including conservative supporters of the Tea Party. Among self-identified independents, however, Paul won the majority.

Romney leaders started there too, but the challenge promises to be much more formidable than New Hampshire, who was the former governor of Massachusetts to lose from the beginning. Unlike Iowa, where leaders come and gone over the polls, no poll showed Romney never less than a substantial double-digit lead in New Hampshire.

In South Carolina, however, Romney does not have what amounts to a home-field advantage - which is the sixth presidential Massachusetts hopes to win the Granite State neighbors - and will face a very different electorate in the South first primary next week.

South Carolina has a large and politically important bloc of evangelical voters. Romney will face resistance among some Christian conservatives who are suspicious, if not outright hostile to his Mormon faith. In New Hampshire, just 14% of those who voted on Tuesday, said to be a "true conservative" was the most important thing for them, far behind the economic interests cited by six in 10 voters, according to interviews election day by the television networks.

Romney also faces a tighter pack of runners.

After great struggle between them for the past few months, came after Romney in New Hampshire with a sudden ferocity, casting him in a debate on Sunday and beat him since most of his work at Bain Capital, the private investment firm was co-founder and the source of his personal wealth.

While citing his business experience as a virtue, especially in contrast to Washington's extensive resume most of his rivals, Romney's opponents have described him as a ruthless corporate raider touches work.

They were given a cane in his campaign on Monday with a comment torn from their original context: ". I like being able to fire people," Though Romney made the comments in relation to health and holding companies insurance, rivals seized on it as evidence of insensitivity.

However, Romney moves with many advantages, at least not a big advantage in money and organization of the campaign, which becomes increasingly important as the choice of shifts statewide races in Iowa and New Hampshire to a large number of state contests across the country.

Wins in South Carolina on January 21 and Florida 10 days later, everyone can, but make sure that Romney is going to the nomination, and sooner rather than later.

Part of its strength derives from the weakness of the opposition.

Each of your opponents has a special appeal for the segments of the Republican base - Paul with independent, Santorum and Perry with the conservatives, and Gingrich with voters looking for intellectual heft and a long view. None, however, offer a complete package, which has driven Romney, with the continued support of at least a quarter of the electorate in almost everywhere.

That could also benefit, as it did rattle victory last week in Iowa, where evangelicals and Tea Party acolytes split their votes among several contenders for the right, which Romney to prevail over a field of people.

Immediately, after Sunday's debate Perry retired to South Carolina, where Romney has been hitting in its action Bain. Paul, a congressman from the Houston area, will compete there too, but has said it will not make a great effort in Florida, which conducted the first major primary state at the end of the month.

Huntsman has also set his sights on South Carolina, but still has much ground to recover. Despite having invested early, has spent little time there lately and relatively centrist position is likely to play as well as they did in more moderate New Hampshire, where he carried the vote of the Democrats who passed on Tuesday. Florida would require a heavy investment in advertising dollars just to be better known to Huntsman.

"I would say the third is a ticket to ride," said Huntsman supporters. "Hello, South Carolina!"

Four years ago, another moderate Republican, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was a similar strategy, ignoring Iowa and make a last effort in Florida. He finished third weak and leave the campaign the next day.

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Republican Debate Sunday Serves Up More Fireworks But No Game Changers

Republican Debate Sunday Serves Up More Fireworks But No Game Changers.CONCORD, NH - The Republican presidential candidates came to life Sunday morning in his second debate in 12 hours, trading verbal blows, with Mitt Romney's favorite, so that was planned last night.

Romney deftly swatted the attack again, proving once more skillful debater has become. However, a follow-up survey of new night show signs of slipping carrying the former governor of Massachusetts in the State of granite, two days before the first primary in the country.

New Suffolk University poll / 7 showed that support for Romney in New Hampshire 35 percent to 43 percent on Tuesday, while Ron Paul (R-Texas) remained double-digit gap of 20 percent. Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, was the explosion of research in third with 11 percent. And former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) has also been falling by 8 percent, down from 11 percent two days ago. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) was 9 percent.

Huntsman was the surprise of the morning. They seemed to be connected during the discussion of NBC / Facebook, with its emphasis on the restoration of confidence the American people. Also, Romney said in an exchange in which Romney, as he did on Saturday night during the debate on ABC, 2009-10 denigrated the service as U.S. ambassador Huntsman in China, under the presidency of Barack Obama.

"I think we serve our country for the first time standing for people who believe in conservative principles and make every effort to promote an agenda that does not include the agenda of President Obama," said Romney. "The person who should represent our party against President Obama is not a person who called him an outstanding leader and went to his ambassador to China."

Huntsman responded immediately with a line that generated applause from the audience: "This country is divided by the attitudes of that."

"The American people are tired of the partisan divide. They have had enough. There is no trust left," said Huntsman.

He was the meanest moment, Romney morning. Elsewhere however, managed to fend off the blows of Gingrich and Santorum, who attacked Romney in the first debate a few moments.

"It would be defending conservative principles. He ran Ronald Reagan," Romney said Santorum successful 1994 bid for U.S. Senate against Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). "We want someone when the weather gets tough ... that will stand up and fight for conservative principles."

Santorum also hit Romney because he did not run for reelection after his first term as governor of Massachusetts. "If the disc was as big as Massachusetts governor, why not for re-election, why bail," said Santorum.

Romney said he does not consider politics a career, but he ran for public service for altruistic reasons.

"I went to Massachusetts to make a difference," said Romney. "Run again would be me."

"Politics is not a race. For me, my career was in business," he said.

Gingrich, whose irritation with Romney became volcanic in recent weeks could not contain himself.

"I realize that the red light means nothing to you because you're the favorite, but we can make a small pile of nonsense?" Gingrich spat. "Right on the American people. They have performed at least since the 1990s."

But it was an exchange between Romney and Gingrich at the end of the debate that showed Romney's ability to maintain a calm appearance, while hitting hard at a television format. Gingrich complained that the ads by a super-PAC Romney support has submitted false information.

Romney had a part that he had not seen the advertisements and details of the charges in television ads Gingrich looked with a grimace. Romney methodically marked critical: Gingrich was ousted from the presidency of the House, sat down with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) to promote global warming legislation, has criticized the plan offered Medicare reform by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and has been investigated by the ethics committee of the House.

"These things have been very true," said Romney.

Romney campaign is fully aware of the challenges of the televised debates, which have played an important role in the first presidential contest in the past. As former Gov. John Sununu of New Hampshire told The Huffington Post, on Saturday night after Snoozer of a debate in Manchester, NH, "Television is a difficult environment."

"If you have trouble on TV which is magnified. And it's hard to be difficult. It's a real tight balance," said Sununu.

Romney has shown once again by the experience gained in the operation four years ago allowed him to stand out from other candidates in the high-profile parameters of the debate at high pressure. It also has an electoral machine that dwarfs and surpasses all others in the field.

However, Romney did not close the deal with Republican voters, and if their numbers continue to fall compared to Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire, which could move to South Carolina on January 21 in a somewhat weakened competition. The problem for anti-Romney in the Republican Party fees, however, is that none of the other candidates present a convincing alternative. Or at least they did not.

Meanwhile, Romney's campaign has argued that a victory in New Hampshire - regardless of the margin - is a remarkable achievement.

"If Mitt wins, I think the nature of the victory of the history of decisions that overwhelm all other coverage of the race at this time. No Republican has won non-traditional in Iowa and New Hampshire," Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom HuffPost Saturday night. "So do not think it matters if you won a few votes as he did in Iowa or more. I think it makes history in their own way."

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Republican Debate Turns Testy

Republican Debate Turns Testy.Reports from Goffstown, N.H. -
Move to catch a clear lead in the Republican contest, Mitt Romney has remained above the fray in a televised debate his opponents chose to badger each other, rather than taking on front-runner.

With the New Hampshire primary in three days - and Romney holding a lead there, and in the next to South Carolina - time is running out for someone to slow the progression of Romney. But the decision of its rivals to fight them revived a model that has worked to the advantage of Romney - assuming the role of nominee unofficial and focusing his attacks on President Obama.

"Really, this election is the soul of America," said Romney, who never appeared ruffled by his rivals or questions of the panelists at the ABC / Yahoo / WMUR-TV debate Saturday night. "Today we have a president in Washington who put America on a road to decline. Militarily, international and national, he made us into something we would not recognize."

The former Massachusetts governor, in a rare attack a rival, went after Jon M. Huntsman Jr., after the former U.S. ambassador to China challenged Romney hard line rhetoric in this country. Romney noted that Huntsman had served in the Obama administration in Beijing while others debate on the scene tried to elect Republican candidates in the election 2010.

Huntsman, whose personal rivalry with Romney is deeply rooted, said in Mandarin that Romney "does not quite understand the situation" and said Romney hard-line policy toward China would wind up hurting small businesses in America inciting a trade war. Romney, refusing to back down, replied that he had heard this for 10 years.

With one exception, the candidates broke little ground on issues during the contest. Texas Governor Rick Perry was the exception, calling for the dispatch of U.S. troops in Iraq to return immediately to quell bloody unrest there since the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Obama, he said, had bowed to "the base of liberal left" and opened the door to move Iran in Iraq.

"They will return, and all the work we've done, every young man who lost his life in this country has been for nothing because we have a president who does not understand what is happening in this region," Perry said. None of the other contenders have endorsed the idea.

The reluctance by the other candidates taking the Romney was more evident in the case of Rick Santorum, who earlier in the day said that America needed a leader, not a manager, as its next president. He had to be cajoled by the ABC, Diane Sawyer in recognizing he was referring to Romney. Only late in the debate - 11 / 2 hours - not to release the Santorum Romney by criticizing his past support for a term of individual care, the rescue of Wall Street and a cap-and-trade curb global warming.

Newt Gingrich, in response to a question about a movie scathing attack on Romney by a "Super PAC" that supports the candidacy of Gingrich said without enthusiasm record Romney at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he founded, should be considered.

"If it's factually accurate, it raises questions," Gingrich said of the film. Pressed by ABC, George Stephanopoulos, save Gingrich earlier claim that Romney made money "by companies in bankruptcy," former House speaker refers to an article on job losses in companies taken over by Bain. “This is their story, "he said.

In one of the largest exchanges, Ron Paul of Texas has refused to back down from his characterization of Gingrich as a "chicken hawk" for not serving in the Vietnam War.

"I think people that do not serve when they could have, they get three or four or five overs, they have no right to send our children to war," he said. "I try to stop wars, but at least I went when they called me."

Gingrich replied that Paul was not telling the truth.

"Dr. Paul has a long history of saying things that are inaccurate and false the fact is that I never asked for a postponement -. I am married with a child, "he said, adding that as a" Army Brat ", he understood military matters in a personal way." I think I have a fairly good idea of ​​what it is like a family to worry about your father being killed, and personally, I returned the kind of comments and slander, he regularly without adequate information and only then insults people. "

Paul spoke that he needed a follow-up. “When I was drafted, I was married and had two children and I went," he said.

Gingrich, returning to a stance that earned him applause of voters in the previous debates, the moderators also criticized after a series of questions about gay marriage.

"There is much more anti-Christian bigotry these days and none of this is covered by the news media," he said to applause from the audience on the campus of St. Anselm College.

Paul, who is hitting Santorum with ads in South Carolina that use corrupt, stood in the attack and claimed that former Senator from Pennsylvania was not a true conservative.

"Say you're a conservative, I believe, is a stretch," says Paul. "But you have convinced many people to him, so that someone has to point out your record."

Paul Santorum criticized for appearing on a ranking of the most corrupt politicians, taking money from lobbyists, voting to raise the debt ceiling, supporting No Child Left Behind, and other positions.

Santorum replied that the list he appeared on was developed by a group of liberals. "It's a ridiculous accusation. And you should know better than to quote George Soros organizations like that, "he said.

The former senator said he had voted in the best interests of his state, and, after leaving his post, he worked on issues he cared, including Iran, health and the coal.

The placement of candidates reflects major changes in the race since the last debate, just three weeks ago. Santorum has been moved from wing to center stage on the strength of its first virtual tie in the Iowa caucuses.

Santorum was standing next to Romney, all but a favorite son in the state: It has a holiday home cost in New Hampshire and Massachusetts next to the governed, but he took nothing for granted. It invested millions of dollars in advertising and spent dozens of days of campaigning here.

The debate, the 14th of the campaign was part of a rare doubleheader. Exactly 10 hours after completion, the candidates were due to the camera in Concord, the capital of the state, for yet another meeting of the network, on NBC "Meet the Press."

After Sunday's debate, the candidates split briefly. Santorum and Perry will travel to South Carolina, where voters have a strong evangelical than they are in New Hampshire. Romney will remain in New Hampshire, where he is scheduled to campaign with the New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, one of many alternatives; he brought to the closing days. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley campaign with him Saturday in New Hampshire.

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Gop Rivals Go After Romney In New Hampshire Debate

Gop Rivals Go After Romney In New Hampshire Debate.Three days MANCHESTER, NH - The battle between Mitt Romney's competitors took center stage Saturday night, as the candidates a favorite slide switches between career and personal attacks together in a critical debate in New Hampshire.

before the first in the nation primary, the debate and his tone reflected the state of the polls. Romney leads by a wide margin, and four other candidates seem to be in contention for at least the second position.

Candidates who frequently clashed Saturday in the debate - and most of the fighting involved Ron Paul, who is the closest to Romney in the polls and was not shy about reminding the crowd.

"If it does pretty well - Mitt catch up with every day," said Paul in the middle of the debate, outlining his campaign.

On everything from military service for federal spending, Paul went after his opponents and throws them as false conservatives, while his opponents accused the congressman from Texas, to stretch the truth to gain political points.

A heated moment came when Paul, one of the two candidates who have served in the army, Newt Gingrich suggested seeking deferments to avoid military service.

"I'm trying to stop the war - at least I was when they called me," said Paul.

In response, Gingrich said he never asked for a deferment, but was married and had a son and that "was never a question."

"Dr. Paul has a long history of saying things that are inaccurate and untrue," he said. "I personally resent the kind of comments and slander usually done without accurate information and then people just insults."

Earning brief applause, Paul responded: "When it was written, was married and had two children, and left."

The exchange had little to do with the most important issues in the campaign to date - as the economy, the budget and Iran. However, the personal nature of which was the emblem of a race that has gained a clear advantage as candidates try to avoid being eliminated in the upcoming primaries.

Romney won the Iowa caucuses by just eight votes, and that is about to dominate in New Hampshire, while leading in the polls in South Carolina.

Rick Santorum, who finished second in Iowa, is trying to build on that performance. Gingrich is trying to recover after falling from the front of the pack. Paul has shown little hesitation in attacking either of those two candidates, while former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has based his campaign strategy around a good showing in New Hampshire.

Santorum went after Romney principles, rejecting the leading candidate as a single manager.

"The experience of business does not necessarily coincide with being commander in chief of this country," he said. "Being president is not a CEO. You have to lead and inspire."

He said Romney's plan is too meek to tax the country's economy moving again.

Huntsman had a rare confusion on stage with Romney at the very end of the debate on the issue of China, where Huntsman recently served as ambassador under President Obama.

After Huntsman criticized Romney for his tough talk with China and said the country needs a president who understands that the relationship, Romney interrupted.

"You were the last two years, the implementation of the policies of this government in China. The rest of us at this time were doing our best to get the Republicans elected all over the country," said Romney.

He went on to criticize China for "hacking into our computers" and manipulate their currency, among other crimes, and pledged to ensure that no "kill jobs in America any longer."

Huntsman gave his reply in Mandarin - translated, Romney said he does not understand the situation.

Gingrich also criticized Romney. He referred to reports in the media describing how some workers were fired after the investment firm Bain Capital Romney invested in their businesses and tried to turn around.

He said that Romney should be judged on the basis that "in general, were people better or worse for this style of management."

He criticized what he described as a "model of Wall Street, where you can browse the companies ... you can basically take all the money leaving the workers."

Romney replied that Bain Capital has created 100,000 jobs in general and the experience of a businessman was much better to fix the economy of a whole life spent in Washington, DC

"I'm very proud of the fact that the two companies was conducted successfully," he said, referring to Bain and another company.

The 90-minute meeting crackled with urgency.

Paul said Santorum was "a big government person" despite campaigning as a conservative, referring to the votes of former Pennsylvania senator cast to raise the debt limit.

Santorum said he had played a key role over 15 years in the legislation that revised the laws of the country club.

"You're a big spender and that's all there is to do," said Paul. "For you are a conservative that I think is a stretch, but that has convinced many people of the same."

Santorum said, "You vote against everything. I do not vote against it."

Rick Perry tried to return to the debate. Following his fifth place in Iowa, the governor of Texas is in last place vote in New Hampshire. In the debate, Perry stressed that he was a stranger "is not damaged by the process."

There was a moment of light, and even then one of six presidential candidates on stage tried to convert back and forth in his favor.

At one point, Paul was interrupted by a campaign to show the time to speak had expired. "There it goes again," he said.

Santorum replied instantly: "We know that not telling the truth."

The discussion was largely at a time when social issues. Romney seemed to struggle a question about whether states should allow the prohibition of contraception if they wish. Romney described the scenario as "silly" and said that states are pursuing this option. "Contraception, which is running fine, just leave it alone," he said.

Santorum stood by his position on social issues. He asked what would happen if an amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, said same-sex couples are legally married now "not marry" more.

Gingrich suffered a scam in the last question in the debate - what the candidates is done on a Saturday night if not debate.

"I would be watching the championship college basketball game," he said.

After being corrected, added: "I mean, football match."

The ABC News debate at Saint Anselm College was the first in over three weeks and first since Michele Bachmann withdrew from the race after a disappointing finish in Iowa this week. Candidates face a speedy recovery for the second debate, scheduled for Sunday morning in Concord.

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For Santorum, Miles to Go Before He Sleeps

For Santorum, Miles to Go Before He Sleeps.MANCHESTER, NH - Despite the debate on Saturday night, Rick Santorum kept a busy schedule throughout the day. Usually, candidates will spend a day of debate in solitude with staff members, planning their strategies on how to deal with their rivals and the best way to have an impact on viewers.

This is especially true this weekend, during the return-to-back debates are scheduled for Saturday night and Sunday morning. They are the first debate since before the Christmas holidays and the first since voting began last week in the Iowa caucuses. They will also be the first to six, not seven candidates, as the Minnesota representative Michele Bachmann dropped last week.

All this means that if the candidates had much practice in discussions in recent months, the dynamics of the race have changed in many ways.

So far, Mr. Santorum was stuck on the sidelines of debates because its poor projections in the polls did not justify more clearly.

But since he lost the Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney at a mere eight votes, is likely to share the stage on Saturday night with Mr. Romney. Having started to move in the polls, it is likely to face the attacks of his rivals not used.

If Mr. Santorum is preparing a strategy to adapt to a new discussion of his new popularity, it has to be connection between its many manifestations. His days are usually filled - on Friday, he ran an event across southern New Hampshire, making six saves, not including various interviews broadcast - and it provides almost as full a day on Saturday.

He started at a university forum at St. Anselm College on the economy and the middle class. He became more passionate as he took Obama to task for encouraging people to pursue higher education. Mr. Santorum called the excesses and arrogance, saying that if any of his seven children did not go to college, he would be happy for them to do something else.

After the forum, he had planned to go door to door in a neighborhood in Manchester to shake hands and ask residents for their votes. But he never showed up. About 20 protesters occupy Wall Street movements were preparing to demonstrate against him. It is not clear whether Mr. Santorum has been to avoid the demonstrators.

But it can be seen at the next event, where another demonstration is planned at the Homestead Deli in Amherst, south-west of Manchester. It is then a meeting at town hall style Hollis, further south in the most populous state, followed by a meeting-and-greet at the pharmacy, which is scheduled for 3:45.

Only then, he planned "down time" to prepare the debates.

Such a program reflects the intense demands of compression, primary six days here in New Hampshire, where voters go to the polls Tuesday. Every minute exposure helps, especially on a Saturday, which can help a candidate to advertise in the Sunday papers.

In addition, Mr. Santorum plans to rush to South Carolina, which votes next Sunday after the debate. Perhaps the debate and full Saturday schedule will be sufficient to feed the beast the media until he returns for the final push on the campaign Monday. And surely then, it will be another busy day.

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