الرئيسية
Republican White House hopefuls, led by frontrunner Mitt Romney, face
New Hampshire voters on Tuesday in a bellwether primary all-but-certain
to tighten his hold on the nomination.
Analysts were eager to see
how well the former Massachusetts governor and millionaire venture
capitalist does compared to polls that have given him a commanding lead
all year -- and to see who comes in second.
Romney hopes a romp --
after a squeaker win in Iowa -- will propel him into South Carolina's
January 21 primary -- the first in the South, where his more
conservative rivals could get their best shot at a victory.
By
tradition, the first ballots were cast shortly after midnight in two
tiny New Hampshire towns with a combined turnout of 32 voters.
In
Dixville Notch -- population 75 -- Romney tied former US China envoy Jon
Huntsman with two votes each out of nine cast. In Hart's Location --
population 42 -- Romney was the Republican frontrunner with five votes.
Overall,
New Hampshire officials expect some 325,000 voters to head to the
polls, most of them Republicans because Democratic President Barack
Obama is running unopposed for his party's nomination ahead of the
November 6 elections.
The Republican primary is closed to
Democrats but open to Republicans and to the state's undeclared voters
-- its term for registered independents who are notoriously
unpredictable and can be late to make up their minds.
New Hampshire voters on Tuesday in a bellwether primary all-but-certain
to tighten his hold on the nomination.
Analysts were eager to see
how well the former Massachusetts governor and millionaire venture
capitalist does compared to polls that have given him a commanding lead
all year -- and to see who comes in second.
Romney hopes a romp --
after a squeaker win in Iowa -- will propel him into South Carolina's
January 21 primary -- the first in the South, where his more
conservative rivals could get their best shot at a victory.
By
tradition, the first ballots were cast shortly after midnight in two
tiny New Hampshire towns with a combined turnout of 32 voters.
In
Dixville Notch -- population 75 -- Romney tied former US China envoy Jon
Huntsman with two votes each out of nine cast. In Hart's Location --
population 42 -- Romney was the Republican frontrunner with five votes.
Overall,
New Hampshire officials expect some 325,000 voters to head to the
polls, most of them Republicans because Democratic President Barack
Obama is running unopposed for his party's nomination ahead of the
November 6 elections.
The Republican primary is closed to
Democrats but open to Republicans and to the state's undeclared voters
-- its term for registered independents who are notoriously
unpredictable and can be late to make up their minds.