NASHUA, N.H. (WHDH/AP) — Democratic presidential candidates hit the campaign trail in New Hampshire as they waited for the official results of the Iowa caucuses.
The presidential hopefuls descended on the small New England state on Tuesday, fresh off overnight flights, full of caffeine and without official results from Iowa.
New Hampshire had largely taken a back seat to Iowa through January, but the state is poised to take on a more important role following Iowa’s delayed, chaotic results.
Partial results from the caucuses released Tuesday night showed former Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 38, with a slight lead over progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“What we know, without any doubt, is that our vision has been validated,” Buttigieg told his supporters.
The former South Bend mayor is riding this new momentum as he travels through New Hampshire.
The latest 7NEWS/Emerson College’s latest tracking poll showed Buttigieg establishing himself as a strong second-place candidate behind Sanders in New Hampshire.
Sanders remained confident as he trails Buttigieg by a small percentage in Iowa.
“I’m very proud to tell you that last night in Iowa, we received more votes on the first and second round than any other candidate,” he said.
The 78-year-old senator will take a break from the campaign trail Wednesday to fly back to Washington, D.C. for the impeachment vote.
Former Vice President Joe Biden held an event in Concord as he tries to put his disappointing showing in Iowa behind him.
“Folks, it’s good to be in New Hampshire, more than you know,” he said. “I’d like you to rocket me out of here to make sure this thing works, OK?”
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren started her day at a rally in Keene, making her progressive pitch to New Hampshire voters.
“We’re the Democrats. We’re supposed to be out there for the working people and that’s what I’m going to do,” she said.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar got a big boost from 7NEWS/ Emerson College’s tracking poll, prompting her to retweet it.
She stressed the importance of beating President Trump.
“The distractor in chief, the divider in chief, that he likes to make these tweets in his bathrobe at 4 a.m., which I promise I will never do,” Klobuchar said.
The state’s Feb. 11 contest is a primary, which is far simpler than a caucus; the election is also run by state and local governments, not the political parties, like Iowa.
A primary works like a general election, with people going into the voting booth and selecting one candidate. New Hampshire uses paper ballots, with some places counting them electronically.
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