Romney sweeps NH: Tonight we made history

Mitt Romney marks solid victory in New Hampshire primary. Win makes Romney first Republican to sweep first two votes in competitive races since 1976

AP, Yitzhak Benhorin|Published: 01.11.12 , 06:58

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney cruised to a solid victory in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, picking up steam from his first-place finish in the lead-off Iowa caucuses and firmly establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination.

"Tonight we made history," Romney told cheering supporters before pivoting to a stinging denunciation of President Barack Obama. "The middle class has been crushed... our debt is too high and our opportunities too few," he declared.

Related stories:

Ron Paul came in second, followed by Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, prolonging the increasingly desperate competition to emerge as the true conservative rival to Romney.

With 70% of the votes in, Romney has won 38% of the vote, followed by Texas Rep Paul with 24%, former Utah Governor Huntsman with 17% and former House Speaker Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Santorum with 10% each.

With his victory, Romney became the first Republican to sweep the first two contests in competitive races since 1976.

Romney had won the GOC primary in Iowa by a scant eight votes over Santorum, and gained barely a quarter of the vote there.

Romney's win was worth at least four delegates to the Republican National Convention next summer. Paul earned at least two delegates and Huntsman at least one. Five more remained to be awarded, based on final vote totals.

"Tonight we celebrate," Romney told his supporters. "Tomorrow we go back to work."