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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 19, 1992                   TAG: 9202190245
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MANCHESTER, N.H.                                LENGTH: Medium

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N.H. REPUBLICANS REBUKE BUSH

President Bush gained grudging victory Tuesday night in the New Hampshire presidential primary, with challenger Patrick Buchanan claiming more than 40 percent of the Republican vote to fuel his conservative rebellion.

Former Sen. Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts won the five-way Democratic race, gaining 33 percent in partial returns and ratifying his frontrunner status. "Washington, we are sending you a message," he said.

Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton ran second among the Democrats and pronounced himself "the comeback kid."

Sen. Bob Kerrey had a narrow lead over Tom Harkin of Iowa in the race for third place. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown was running fifth.

New Hampshire's blighted economy was the consuming issue in both parties' campaigns, but even so Buchanan's strength was a surprise that jolted the White House.

While other candidates celebrated in New Hampshire, Bush accepted his victory, with 57 percent of the vote, in a written White House statement: "This election was far closer than many had predicted. I think the opponents on both sides reaped the harvest of discontent with the pace of New Hampshire's economy."

The president was leading 57 percent to 41 percent with nearly three-quarters of the precincts counted.

In other circumstances, that would be a solid win, but for an incumbent president seeking a second term, challenged by a conservative columnist with no elective background, it wasn't good enough.

The Buchanan showing was magnified by reports of early network exit polls projecting an outcome closer than it was.

All in all, the New Hampshire results did little to alter the political landscape. Clinton was heading for the Southern primaries in March with a modest head of steam and relief that the character controversies had not derailed his campaign.

Tsongas looked forward to proving himself outside his New England base.

Celebrating his Democratic victory, Tsongas said New Hampshire made Bush president "and he forgot the people of New Hampshire and tonight they remembered him..

"The message is we are hurting, America is hurting," he said.

Interrupted by a ringing telephone, Tsongas quipped: "Answer the phone and tell George Bush he cannot concede til November."

Bush said he would keep his case before the voters and win the nomination. "Now, on to the South," he said.

Buchanan, claiming his victory in defeat, said he'll be there, too. "The battle of New Hampshire is over and won, now begins the battle of the South," he told cheering supporters at a Manchester restaurant. " . . . We can take this battle to the entire country."

The Republican vote, with 84 percent of the precincts counted:

Bush 67,183 or 57 percent.

Buchanan 48,220, or 41 percent. Minor candidates had the rest.

With 84 percent of the Democratic precincts counted, Tsongas and Clinton were splitting New Hampshire's 18 convention delegates, nine apiece. The vote was:

Tsongas 38,995 or 33 percent.

Clinton 29,030 or 26 percent.

Kerrey 13,131 or 12 percent.

Harkin 12,277 or 11 percent.

Brown 9,877 or 9 percent.

Keywords:
POLITICS

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