Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire Primary

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders won the Democratic primary race in New Hampshire late Tuesday by a narrow margin, the Associated Press reported.

What Happened

The 78-year old grabbed 25.7% of all votes slightly ahead of the 24.4% votes polled for his closest rival, former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, according to the Associated Press.

Both Sanders and Buttigieg got nine pledged delegates, while Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, following a surprise performance, got six delegates, keeping her well in the race.

Former vice-president Joe Biden again trailed significantly at the fifth position with 8.4% votes; Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren performed slightly better at 9.3% votes.

Both Warren and Biden couldn't cross the 15% mark required to get pledged delegates.

Two candidates including, savvy technology entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Colorado senator Michael Bennet dropped out of the race on Tuesday as the results from Hampshire showed him trailing far behind.

"Our victory tonight is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump," Sanders said on Twitter following the caucus. "What we have done together here is nothing short of the beginning of a political revolution."

Buttigieg said that his performance in New Hampshire has "defied expectations."

"We have...shown that we are here to stay—and are full steam ahead toward Nevada, South Carolina, and beyond," he said.

Why It Matters

This was the second Democratic caucus for the 2020 presidential nomination, and it saw the same two candidates contending for the lead spot.

The 38-year old Buttigieg, the youngest candidate still in the Democratic race, emerged the winner in Iowa, with 13 pledged delegates ahead of Sanders's 12.

Sanders had won the popular vote at 26.5% ahead of Buttigieg's 25.1%.

At the end of the first two caucuses, Buttigieg is leading with 22 delegates, with Sanders one behind at 21. The third competitor Warren is far behind at eight pledged delegates.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is sweeping through the Republican primaries, much in line with expectations, with 59 pledged delegates so far, ahead of his sole competitor former Massachusetts senator Bill Weld's one delegate, according to the Associated Press data.

The new democrat caucus will take place in Nevada on February 22, followed by South Carolina on February 29.

Photo Credit: Public domain photo via Wikimedia.