The Big Story: Clinton, McCain win in New Hampshire

CONCORD, N.H.—Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won New Hampshire's Democratic primary Tuesday night in a startling upset, defeating Sen. Barack Obama and resurrecting her bid for White House.

Clinton's victory capped a comeback from last week's third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and raised the possibility of a long battle for the party nomination between the most viable black candidate in history and the former first lady, seeking to become the first woman to occupy the Oval Office.

Arizona Sen. John McCain won the New Hampshire Republican primary, completing a remarkable comeback and climbing back into contention for the Republican presidential nomination.

At stake were 22 Democratic and 24 Republican delegates.

"We showed the people of this country what a real comeback looks like," McCain told The Associated Press in an interview as he savored his triumph. "We're going to move on to Michigan and South Carolina and win the nomination."

His triumph here sets up a high-stakes rematch with Mitt Romney in Michigan Jan. 15. McCain won there in 2000 and still has support there; Romney was reared in the state and is the son of a former governor. No other Republican plans to compete aggressively in Michigan, where economic issues will dominate and independents can vote in either party's primary.

From there, McCain is angling for victory in South Carolina. He lags in polls in the military heavy state but hopes his Vietnam prisoner of war biography, decades of experience on defense issues, and staunch support of the Iraq war will outweigh Republicans' deeply held anger about his position on immigration as well as their doubts about his loyalty to the GOP.

"Tonight's results will show that we took a majority of all sections of the party, and we can do it again," McCain told the AP in a telephone interview from his hotel suite.

Later, McCain told cheering supporters at a victory celebration, "However this campaign turns out — and I am more confident tonight that it will turn out much better than once expected — I am grateful beyond expression that I might serve here a while longer."

"Tonight we have taken a step, but only a first step toward repairing the broken politics of the past and restoring the trust of the American people in their government," he said.

Downstairs, when McCain's name flashed across TVs as the winner, hundreds of backers chanted "Mac Is Back"—the campaign's latest slogan. The location for McCain's primary night party was fitting — the same ballroom in the same Crowne Plaza hotel where he celebrated victory once before.

It was a bitter blow for Romney, who spent millions of dollars of his own money in hopes of winning the kickoff Iowa caucuses and the first primary—and finished second in both.

"There have been three races so far. I've gotten two silvers and one gold — thank-you Wyoming," Romney said in a spartan seven-minute address conceding the race.

"On to Michigan and South Carolina and Florida and Nevada," Romney added. "I'll fight to be back here in November in those states and others."

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the leadoff Iowa GOP caucuses last week, was running third in New Hampshire.

With votes counted from 26 percent of the state's precincts, McCain was winning 37 percent of the vote, Romney had 28 and Huckabee 12. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had 9 percent, Texas Rep. Ron Paul 8.

Clinton, the former first lady who finished third in Iowa, mounted an unexpectedly stiff challenge to Obama in the nation's first primary. Interviews with voters leaving their polling places showed she was winning handily among registered Democrats, while her rival led her by an even larger margin among independents.

She had 39 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary to 34 percent for Obama, who is seeking to become the nation's first black president. Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina trailed with 17 percent.

Clinton's performance, surprised even her own inner circle.

In the hours leading up to the poll closing, her closest advisers had appeared to be bracing for a second defeat at the hands of Obama.

Officials said her aides were considering whether to effectively concede the next two contests — caucuses in Nevada on Jan. 19 and a South Carolina primary a week later — and instead try to regroup in time for a 22-state round of contests on Feb. 5.

These officials also said a campaign shake-up was in the works, with longtime Clinton confidante Maggie Williams poised to come aboard to help sharpen the former first lady's message. Other personnel additions are expected, according to these officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity while discussing strategy.

Obama, who won the leadoff Iowa caucuses last week, looked for an endorsement from the powerful Culinary Workers union in Nevada in the days ahead. Late Tuesday night, the union was considering delaying the announcement.