Sanders: Crushes Clinton
New Hampshire voters have had their say and they said it loudly yesterday, as they went to the polls in record numbers to give the rabble rousers in each party resounding wins.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, no doubt, “felt the Bern” as the preliminary and incomplete results give Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders an enormous win. With eighty nine percent of precincts reporting, Sanders has a stunning sixty percent of the vote to Clinton’s thirty eight. Looks like voters in New Hampshire aren’t “ready for Hillary,” despite the huge investment of political capital made by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Governor Margaret Wood Hassan and the rest of the Democratic political power structure in the state.
Trump: The opposite of “you’re fired”
On the G O P side, Manhattan Mogul Donald Trump thundered to a nineteen point win. With eleven percent of precincts still outstanding, Trump racked up thirty five percent of the vote to Ohio Governor John Kasich’s sixteen. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is in third with twelve percent of the vote and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s tally lands him at eleven percent, more than twelve hundred votes behind Cruz, but more than fourteen hundred votes ahead of Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
After finishing a distant sixth with just eight percent of the vote, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he was going to “take a deep breath” and go home to assess his campaign.
In the Queen City, unofficial results give Trump a commanding win with sixty three hundred thirteen votes, or thirty seven percent. Kasich came in second with twenty two hundred thirty seven, or thirteen percent. Bush’s nineteen hundred thirty seven was good enough for third place. Cruz finished with eighteen hundred seventy seven, Rubio with seventeen hundred ten and Christie with fifteen hundred six.
While City Clerk Matthew Normand didn’t have numbers, he confirmed reports of heavy same day registration activity.
Polling place traffic from the WCVB TV 5 helicopter
In Merrimack, voting hours were extended an hour as massive traffic backups leading to the town’s one and only polling place at Merrimack High were so bad, the news helicopter from W C V B T V Channel 5 in Boston took pictures. We’ll be talking about that with Town Councilor Bill Boyd this morning.
One pre-election poll that was way wrong was the one done of fourth graders across the state, conducted as part of the celebration of the primary’s one hundredth year over the past several months. That poll had Clinton and Bush willing their respective primaries.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Guinta: Against more of the same.
First District Congressman Frank Guinta, the newly appointed member of the House Budget Committee, issued a statement on the budget proposed by the current occupant of the White House. Said Guinta yesterday, quote
“…the national debt is already $19 trillion. Proposals like a $10 gas tax will only further burden Granite State families, most of whom haven’t seen a raise in years. Average incomes are down. It’s time for a dramatic break with the status quo — not more of the same…”
Makes you kind of wonder whether or not he’s been paying attention to the people.
Little: To get Banking Commissioner nomination.
Governor Margaret Wood Hassan announced she will nominate District Eight State Senator Jerry Little, Republican from Weare, to be the state’s next Commissioner of Banking. Little, who is serving his first term in the senate, is the former Executive Director of the New Hampshire Bankers’ Association. In response, Senate President Chuck Morse, Republican from Salem, issued a statement saying Little quote “has been an incredible asset to the New Hampshire Senate, bringing an invaluable perspective, a dedicated work ethic and expert knowledge on critical legislation, including the State’s operating budget.” He went on to essentially say he’d be splendid in the job.
Casino Lou: Another casino bill
The N H Senate Ways and Means Committee approved yet another bill sponsored by Casino Lou D’Allasandro, Democrat from Manchester. S B 551-FN-A-L would allow gambling, including video lottery and table games, at Rockingham Park. Said Casino Lou yesterday, quote: “Our state, which thrives on tourism, would uniquely benefit from the addition of a casino and I urge the full Senate’s support on this bill.” Actually, we don’t know that, but should the experiences of other states matter? Why focus on the negatives?
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next.
