Sanders Takes New Hampshire

Democratic socialist edges ahead of the field in primary election

Senator Bernie Sanders was declared the winner of the New Hampshire primary which took place on Tuesday, Feb. 12. 

Trailing behind Sanders is Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar. 

Many have expressed concerns about a strongly liberal candidate’s ability to go up against President Donald Trump in November. The moderate alternative appears to be Buttigieg, who is facing challenges from Klobuchar who also represents the moderate wing of the Democratic Party.  

Former Vice President Joe Biden has had a poor showing but is predicted to gain momentum in more diverse states as polls show that Biden has the strongest following among African-American voters. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren’s campaign trajectory has slowed. A few months ago, Warren was leading in state polls in New Hampshire. 

However, after Tuesday, Warren was in fourth place with no delegates. It is unclear what Warren will do next, given that her fundraising has been exceeded by Sanders, and unlike Biden, she does not have a strong showing amongst a specific voting block. 

Andrew Yang dropped out of the presidential race on Tuesday. Yang was known for his signature issue of universal basic income. 

His initial fundraising was strong, raising more money than most candidates. However, he fell short to qualify for the Democratic National Committee’s debate in Iowa. Shortly after Yang’s announcement, Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet also ended his presidential bid. 

The Democratic presidential field is now in the single digits. The next primary will be in Nevada, then South Carolina, and then 14 states on Super Tuesday, March 3—including California and Texas. 

Associated Press contributed reporting. Contact Emma Pollans at epollans@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.