Wednesday, 11 January 2012Mitt Romney took a crucial step closer to challenging Barack Obama in the 2012 U.S. presidential elections, winning the Republican primary elections in New Hampshire on Tuesday, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
The former Massachusetts governor garnered 39 percent of the vote in the Tuesday primary, followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul with 23 percent. Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman was third with 17 percent of the vote.
Romney became the first Republican non-incumbent to win the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary since the one-two contests began in 1976. The New Hampshire vote has strengthened his position as the frontrunner in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
“Thank you, New Hampshire! Tonight we made history,” Romney said, addressing his supporters at a victory celebration in Manchester.
In his speech, Romney criticized “misguided policies and broken promises of the last three years,” pointing to the United States’ economic problems, including unemployment of “8 to 9 percent” and $15-trillion foreign debt. He said those problems were due to what he described as Obama’s “failed leadership.”
“This president wakes up every morning, looks out across America and is proud to announce ‘it could be worse’,” he added. |
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Ria Novosti
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