With all the attention on New Hampshire following the debacle that was the Iowa Caucus, Senator Bernie Sanders has come out on top in the Granite State. In a repetition of his victory in 2016, Sanders’ clear win will give lasting momentum to his candidacy.
The senator from neighboring Vermont was expected to come in first in a state he won four years ago against Hillary Clinton. The New Hampshire primary is known for favoring anti-establishment candidates, and this year is no exception. The left-wing firebrand polled first among voters who placed healthcare and income inequality as key concerns, continuing the retention of his populist base.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg landed in second place following his breakout performance in last week’s contest in Iowa, once again performing well among white suburban voters as he put together another strong performance.
Meanwhile, fellow moderate Senator Amy Klobuchar surged to a surprise third place finish. Klouchbar has seemingly salvaged her campaign following an uninspiring showing in Iowa and dominant debate performances.
Klobuchar’s triumph heavily contrasted the flops produced by the rest of the field. Senator Elizabeth Warren, despite placing third in Iowa, came in a dismal fourth place as her support continues to dwindle. Former Vice President Joe Biden did even worse, posting a fifth place finish as he moved on to South Carolina. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Senator Micheal Bennet both dropped out following single digit showings.
As the Democratic primaries move on to the more diverse electorates, the race appears to be anyone’s to win. As Sanders and Biden hope to prove their pull among minority communities, while Buttigieg and Klobuchar hope to expand their coalitions to produce a winning formula, the only thing that’s sure is that nothing’s for sure.