In defiance of polls and the political pundits, Hillary Clinton narrowly beat Barack Obama to win the New Hampshire primary last night. The former First Lady won 39 percent of the vote. Obama placed second with 37 percent. In the Republican race, Senator John McCain beat former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by a five percent margin. Political analysts say that with 300 days until the November election, the 2008 race is shaping up to be the most open presidential race in eighty years. For the past year, Senator Clinton had been the clear frontrunner in New Hampshire, but after Senator Obama’s surprise victory in Iowa, several opinion polls indicated the Illinois senator had jumped to a double-digit lead. The polls were wrong, and in the end Clinton pulled off a victory.

Sen. Hillary Clinton: “I felt like we all spoke from our hearts, and I am so gratified that you responded. Now together let’s give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me.”

The race between Clinton and Obama was so close that it took the networks until about 10:30 last night — two-and-a-half hours after the polls closed — to call the race for Clinton. Minutes later, Senator Barack Obama addressed supporters.

Sen. Barack Obama: “We will remember that there is something happening in America, that we are not as divided as our politics suggests, that we are one people, we are one nation, and together we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea: Yes, we can.”

Former Senator John Edwards vowed to stay in the race after placing third with 17 percent of the vote.

John Edwards: “I want to be absolutely clear to all of you who have been devoted to this cause, and I want to be clear to the 99% of the Americans who have not yet had the chance to have their voices heard that I am in this race
through the conviction that I intend to be the nominee of my party.”

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson placed fourth with five percent. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who was excluded from Saturday’s debate in New Hampshire, placed fifth with one percent of the vote.