Winners and Losers of the New Hampshire Primary

The Granite State has spoken and while four years has passed, they still feel the burn. Tuesday night, Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire primary narrowly beating former mayor Pete Buttigieg. Senator Amy Klobuchar placed third followed by Senator Elizabeth Warren, and falling into fifth place was former Vice President Joe Biden.

Unlike in Iowa, the turnout in New Hampshire was at a 12 year record high with 288,000 surpassing voter turnout numbers in 2008 and in 2016, were turnout was 250,000. These turnout numbers shows an energized electorate and the importance of 2020.

The biggest takeaway from the New Hampshire Primary was the importance of a good debate showing. Many people argue they are not paying attention to the debates or there are too many, but the reality is due to Klobuchar’s stellar debate performance on Friday night she not only raised $3.5 million over the weekend, but she went on to place third in the New Hampshire Primary. Klobuchar coming in third place shows her hopeful message of “We cannot win big by out-dividing the divider-in-chief” is resonating with voters.

Usually second place is the first place loser, unless you are Pete Buttigieg. The former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana may have lost by a razor thin margin to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire, but he is the delegate leader with 22 to Sanders’ 21. These delegate numbers only count for 2% of the 1,991 delegates needed to cinch the nomination. It is still early in the primary season and with Nevada on deck to vote next followed by South Carolina, Buttigieg has his work cut out for him as he works to gain traction with African American and Hispanic voters.

Warren suffered a set back in New Hampshire and questions on if she will stay in the race are swirling, but Warren is refusing to back out. Since losing ground with progressives in the party to Bernie Sanders, Warren has pivoted to position herself as the “only candidate who could prevent a Democratic civil war and unify the party.”

Joe Biden limped out of both Iowa and New Hampshire placing fifth which is not what people would have predicted from a former Vice President. Coming into the primary election, Biden has the highest name recognition out of everyone, but his poor debate performances have cost him dearly in this race. However, according to Biden, he’s “just getting started.” Biden has one shot in South Carolina to seize the moment and own it.

As Warren and Biden both move ahead and try to shake off their poor showing in both Iowa and New Hampshire, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, Senator Mike Bennett, and former Massachusetts governor Patrick Duval have all called it quits. Yang’s Basic Universal Income plan to give every America $1,000/month could not gain enough traction with voters. Meanwhile, Bennett and Duval suspended their campaigns leaving most Americans trying to remember who they were and what their campaign was about.

Iowa may have been first in the nation, but New Hampshire stole the show with being the first to report. Overall the Granite State did not disappoint unless you were Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren. Looking ahead, both the former Vice President and Senator have an uphill battle to stay in the running. The only person in in last 40 years win the nomination and go on to become president after losing both Iowa and New Hampshire is Bill Clinton. This Jeopardy! fact does not bode well for Biden or Warren. Looking ahead both Biden and Warren will need a strong showing in both Nevada and South Carolina. Otherwise they run the risk of having to join other Presidential hopefuls in suspending their campaigns.