Romney calls out Obama after win in New Hampshire

By Anne K Walters Jan 11, 2012, 3:53 GMT

Manchester, New Hampshire - Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won the first US presidential primary with 40 per cent of the Republican Party vote as he aimed to face off in November against President Barack Obama.

Tuesday's victory over five challengers in the north-eastern state of New Hampshire came after Romney eked out an eight-vote win in the country's first caucus last week in the Midwestern state of Iowa, boosting his momentum heading into later primaries and caucuses that determine the centre-right party's nominee.

Congressman Ron Paul finished second with 23 per cent of Tuesday's vote with 95 per cent of the ballots counted, followed by former US ambassador to China Jon Huntsman with 17 per cent. The battle now moves to South Carolina on January 21 and Florida on January 31.

'This president has run out of ideas, and now he's run out of excuses,' Romney, 64, told cheering supporters as he claimed victory.

'We believe in the America that is a land of opportunity and a beacon of freedom,' Romney said. He vowed to turn around the US economy and repeal Obama's signature health-care reform.

Romney's strong win in the state was projected by broadcast networks just minutes after polls closed, drawing cheers from supporters who filled two large rooms at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester.

'He's a local guy and he's the strongest candidate,' said Tom Leonard, 63, who travelled from Romney's home state of Massachusetts to encourage the candidate. 'The others don't even come close to offering what he does against Obama.'

The second place win by Paul, 76, reflected his strong appeal among the state's well-known independent voters with his stances on free markets, smaller government and opposition to US foreign intervention. About 50 per cent of Tuesday's voters were independents, according to CNN, and they are allowed to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primaries in New Hampshire.

Former speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich claimed 10 per cent ahead of US senator Rick Santorum with 9 per cent. Texas Governor Rick Perry, who also had a poor showing in Iowa, took 1 per cent.

Romney had been projected by opinion polls to take as much as 47 per cent of the vote. David Stapleford, a Romney supporter, said he was surprised Romney hadn't done even better.

His campaign had sought to downplay expectations that if his victory was not decisive, it would not be enough to bolster his candidacy, but the victory seemed to put to rest such fears.

Paul revelled in his second-place win, which solidified the libertarian's more than 20-per-cent showing in the Iowa caucus.

Some of Paul's supporters have urged him to seek a third-party candidacy if he fails to win the nomination. Paul has said no such move is planned, but has not completely ruled out the idea, which could divide Republican voters to Obama's advantage in the November 6 election. Ari Fleischer, spokesman for former president George W Bush, told CNN that Paul 'can't possibly win' the party's support because of his extreme libertarianism.

Paul's supporters chanted, 'Ron Paul, revolution! Ron Paul, revolution!'

'We are dangerous to the status quo of this country,' Paul said.

'We will remain a danger to the Federal Reserve system as well,' he added, referring to the US central bank, which he blames for enabling the US budget deficit by printing money.

Huntsman, 51, who focused all of his energy on New Hampshire and lacks the financial backing of his rivals, declared he would stay in the race. He surged from low rankings in the pre-primary polls to third place and said Tuesday that it was 'a very comfortable position.'

'We go South from here,' Huntsman told CNN. He was referring to the state primaries in South Carolina on January 21 and Florida on January 31.

Tiny New Hampshire with its 1.3 million residents plays an outsized role in picking presidential contenders because it holds the first primary. It and Iowa both draw inordinate attention from candidates, who spend months attempting to woo voters face-to-face.