MANCHESTER — For weeks, a win for Mitt Romney in the New Hampshire GOP primary was promised by pollsters and pundits across the country. On Tuesday, voters in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary delivered on that promise.

The suspense at Southern New Hampshire University, site of Romney's primary party, ended minutes after the final polling locations closed at 8 p.m., with most news outlets quickly declaring him the winner.

“Thank you, New Hampshire,” Romney told the hundreds who filled the room. “Tonight we made history. This state has always been a very special place for our family. Tonight we celebrate; tomorrow we go back to work.”

Romney became the first candidate to take home the top slot in both Iowa and New Hampshire. In the long line of political heavy hitters who have sat down with Granite State voters in diners and dining rooms over the years, no one has managed to pull a daily double like the former governor of Massachusetts did.

“Americans know that our future is better and brighter than these troubled times,” said Romney. “We still believe in that shining city on the hill. The President has run out of ideas; now he is running out of excuses. And tonight, we're asking the good people of South Carolina to join the citizens of New Hampshire and make 2012 the year he runs of time.”

Romney continued to go after Obama throughout his victory speech.

“You know our campaign is about more than replacing a President — it's about saving the soul of America,” Romney said. “He wants to turn America into a European-style socialist welfare state. We look at the cities and towns across America for our inspiration. We put our faith in the American people. I will make the federal government simpler, smaller and smarter. He apologizes for America. I will never apologize for the greatest nation in the history of the earth.

“I want you to remember what it was like to think about what college you were going to send your kids to instead of worrying about making it to your next paycheck,” said Romney. “That America is still out there.”

Campaign aides were concerned about complacency among supporters Tuesday, but an intensive get-out-the-vote effort conducted over the weekend, with hundreds of volunteers making thousands of phone calls, seemed to do the trick.

Tara Richardson of Derry, who attended the campaign party at SNHU, was one supporter who already had her mind made up when she headed to her polling location Tuesday.

“I think he's the best candidate to beat Obama,” Richardson said. “I like his background as a businessman, that was a big selling point with me. It won't be easy for anyone to turn the economy around, but I think he's got the best shot of doing it.”

More on the Primary:
► NH speaks: It's Mitt by a mile
► Photos from Tuesday's Primary
► Town-by-town Primary results
► Click here to view the front page of today's paper.


“When it comes to the economy, my highest priority as President will be worrying about your job, not saving my own,” Romney said.

Before Romney took the stage, top GOP officials fired up the packed room of Romney supporters.

“We want to thank all of you here for all you have done,” said former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu. “Once again, Iowa picks corn and New Hampshire picks Presidents, and it's because of people like you that that is real.”

Loud cheers erupted as television networks projected Romney to win big in New Hampshire. Among those cheering was Martin Douglass of Dover.

“This is just the start,” said Douglass, who said he held signs Tuesday supporting his candidate. “He's rolling down the coast now, rolling down South, and he's only going to pick up steam from here.”

The candidate and the campaign will now turn their attention to South Carolina's primary on Jan. 21.

“If he goes three for three, I think it's over,” said Douglass. “You asked about a daily double, but if he gets the trifecta, I think he rides it to November.”