Donald Trump, billionaire businessman, is the winner of New Hampshire’s Republican presidential nominating contest, while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders won the Democratic primary over Hillary Clinton.
With 15 percent of precincts reporting in Tuesday’s race, Trump was easily winning, taking about 34 percent of the vote – compared to about 16 percent for second placed John Kasich.
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush was running third with about 12 percent, while Iowa caucus winner Ted Cruz was fourth with about 11 percent.
Trump’s win strengthens his front runner status in the race to be the party’s White House nominee in 2016.
The reality television star’s nontraditional campaign has been marked by calls for the deportation of undocumented migrants and temporarily banning Muslims from entering the United States.
Sanders, 74, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, is the underdog in the national race against former US secretary of state Clinton. He is promising universal healthcare, better paying jobs, and student debt relief.
He had about 57 percent of the vote in early returns, ahead of Clinton, who had about 41 percent, according to the AP.
“What the people here have said is that given the enormous crises facing our country, it is just too late for the same old, same old establishment politics and establishment economics,” Sanders told supporters at his headquarters in Concord.
“Together we have sent the message that will echo from Wall Street to Washington, from Maine to California, and that is that the government of our great country belongs to all of the people and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors,” Sanders said.
The results show that voters are fed up with, and have lost trust in the current system.
The presidential election is on November 8.
