January 9, 2008
Analysis of New Hampshire Returns Makes Much of College Towns
Television networks put the New Hampshire college towns of Hanover and Durham on the map last night — literally — as they broadcast returns from the Granite State’s presidential primary.
Most major networks called the Republican contest early, declaring John McCain the winner, but until around 11 p.m., they were proclaiming the Democratic race too close to call. During that time they focused on Hanover, home of Dartmouth College, and Durham, home of the University of New Hampshire. Because of their large student populations, experts expected those towns to favor Barack Obama.
CNN said it was holding off on calling the race for Hillary Rodham Clinton, who led by a few percentage points, until returns came in from the college towns. Some of the reasoning was misguided: Dartmouth’s winter term began on Monday, but UNH students may not be back in Durham for another two weeks.
In the end, Hanover and Durham did go for Mr. Obama — but not enough to push him ahead. He got 58 percent of the Democratic vote in Hanover, and 48 percent in Durham, to Ms. Clinton’s 26 and 30 percent, respectively. But there were only 4,713 total votes in Hanover, and 2,699 in Durham.
Ms. Clinton’s victories were decisive enough elsewhere, including the larger cities of Nashua and Manchester, that she finished with 39 percent of the popular vote, to Mr. Obama’s 36 percent.
But the youth vote still strongly favored Mr. Obama, with 60 percent of Democratic voters in the 18-24 age bracket choosing him, and 22 percent preferring Ms. Clinton, according to exit polls. The youngest age group represented 11 percent of the state’s Democratic voters over all. Young Republicans made up 9 percent of that party’s vote; 27 percent of them chose Mr. McCain and 19 percent, Ron Paul.
Sara Lipka | Posted on Wednesday January 9, 2008 | Permalink
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