Donald Trump emerged victorious from the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday night; the former president led ex-South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley by about 8-points with roughly one-third of the votes counted. The count proceeded slowly through the evening due, in part, to write-in ballots in the Democrat Primary for the incumbent, Joe Biden.
New Hampshire was Haley’s best chance for a first place upset victory due to the state’s bizarre practice of permitting independents (included re-registered Democrats) to vote in the GOP primary.
Haley nevertheless struck a defiant tone after the race was called by the Associated Press and vowed to continue her campaign past the Granite State.
The next contests take place in Nevada and South Carolina, respectively, in February.
Donald Trump is the first GOP candidate to win both Iowa and New Hampshire is a single seriously contested presidential primary cycle since 1976. No Republican candidate has ever failed to secure the nomination after winning both states.