2016 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary

{{main|Third Democratic Party presidential debate, December 2015 in Goffstown, New Hampshire}}

On December 19, 2015, the Democratic Party held their third debate at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Hosted by "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir and Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz, it aired on ABC News.{{cite web|title = Third Democratic Presidential Debate: 9 Moments That Mattered|url = https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democratic-presidential-debate-moments-mattered/story?id=35868736|website = ABC News|date = December 19, 2015|access-date = December 20, 2015}} Before the debate, WMUR-TV's co-sponsorship had been revoked by the DNC due to a labor dispute. Participants were Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley.

The topics covered during the debate included Sanders' campaign's breach of Clinton's campaign data, strategy for defeating ISIS, gun control, the issue of whether to depose President Assad of Syria, if Wall Street favored each candidate, stability in the Middle East enforced by dictators and whether regime change was necessary, and the role of the First Spouse.{{Cite news|title = In Democratic Debate, Hillary Clinton's Focus Is on G.O.P.|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/20/us/politics/democratic-debate.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = December 19, 2015|access-date = December 20, 2015|issn = 0362-4331|first1 = Jonathan|last1 = Martin|first2 = Amy|last2 = Chozick}}

A fifth forum, a Town Hall event, was held on February 3, 2016, in Derry, New Hampshire. It aired on CNN.{{cite web|last=Metzler|first=Rebekah|title=Dem candidates to attend New Hampshire town hall|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/31/politics/cnn-town-hall-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-martin-omalley/index.html|work=CNN|access-date=January 31, 2016|date=January 31, 2016}}

One of the highlights of the campaign is when the non-recognized candidates gather together to introduce themselves to the public at this event, which first was held in 1972.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/01/25/the-existential-pleasures-of-the-lesser-known-candidates-presidential-debate/|title=The existential pleasures of the Lesser-Known Candidates presidential debate|first=David|last=Weigel|date=January 25, 2016|work=The Washington Post}}

Due to the notorious glitter-bombing incident of the previous cycle, Vermin Supreme was pointedly dis-invited,{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/01/13/lesser-known-candidates-gather-for-forum/nnjPXp5TadS358ejsPHtAP/story.html|title='Lesser-known candidates' to gather for N.H. forum|work=The Boston Globe}} but showed up anyway, and made the national news. Eighteen people showed up: Jon Adams, Eric Elbot, Rocky De La Fuente, Mark Greenstein, Henry Hewes, William McGaughey, Edward O'Donnell, Graham Schwass, Sam Sloan, Edward Sonnino, Michael Steinberg, and several others.

{{main|Fifth Democratic Party presidential debate, February 2016 in Durham, New Hampshire}}

Unlike in previous years, initially, only a single authorized debate was scheduled to be held in New Hampshire. Initially planned as an unsanctioned debate, a debate on February 4 in Durham, New Hampshire was however later confirmed by the DNC. Hosted by Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow, it was broadcast by NBC News. While Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley all confirmed their participation, O'Malley eventually came to suspend his campaign prior to the debate.

Commentators of the debate cited the elevated discourse between the candidates. There was discussion on the death penalty (federal versus state), money in politics, and assessing Iran, North Korea and Russia as threats to national security. Clinton demanded that Sanders explain his "artful smears" of Clinton receiving campaign donations. Sanders responded by critiquing the inherently "quid-pro-quo" nature of Wall Street campaign donations. The exchange between the two candidates was called by Eric Levitz one of the best 10-minute exchanges in the history of American political debates.{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/clinton-and-sanders-spar-over-campaign-donations.html|title=Clinton and Sanders Spar Over Campaign Donations|work=NYMag}}

File:Bernie Sanders in Littleton, NH, on August 24, 2015 (20703289249).jpg, on August 24, 2015]]

File:Senator of Vermont Bernie Sanders Campaign Field Office In Nashua NH 06.jpg.]]

File:2016.02.09 Presidential Campaign New Hampshire USA 02797 (24643391800) cropped.png at a rally following the 2016 Democratic primary.]]

This is a list of the candidates{{cite web|author=William M. Gardner : Secretary of State |url=http://sos.nh.gov/ |title=Home - NHSOS |website=Sos.nh.gov |access-date=December 23, 2015}} on the ballot in the New Hampshire primary.

The following notable candidates had participated in all authorized debates:

• Hillary Clinton of New York (campaign), United States Secretary of State (2009–2013), presidential candidate in 2008, United States Senator from New York (2001–2009), First Lady of the United States (1993–2001)
• Bernie Sanders of Vermont (campaign), United States Senator from Vermont (2007–present), United States Representative from Vermont (1991–2007), Mayor of Burlington (1981–1989)
• Martin O'Malley of Maryland (campaign), Governor of Maryland (2007–2015), Mayor of Baltimore (1999–2007). By this time, O'Malley had withdrawn from the race.

The following candidates have not been invited to any major debates or listed in national polls, but were notable enough to have Wikipedia articles written about them:

• Rocky De La Fuente of California, businessman
• Keith Russell Judd of Texas, perennial candidate{{cite web|last=Whittaker |first=Richard |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2015-12-04/presidential-candidates-file-in-texas/ |title=Presidential Candidates File in Texas: Clinton and Judd only Dems to file for president in Texas so far - News |publisher=The Austin Chronicle |access-date=December 5, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/CandidateInquiry |title=Candidate Inquiry |website=Voterportal.sos.la.gov |access-date=December 5, 2015}}
• Sam Sloan of New York, former chess administrator and 2012 Libertarian Party candidate
• Vermin Supreme of Massachusetts, performance artist and perennial candidate{{cite web | url=http://nhpr.org/post/fired-about-pony-economy-vermin-supreme-just-might-be-your-candidate | title=Fired Up About the "Pony Economy"? Vermin Supreme Just Might Be Your Candidate | publisher=New Hampshire Public Radio | date=November 20, 2015 | access-date=November 23, 2015 | author=Sutherland, Paige}}{{cite web | url=https://news.yahoo.com/photos/u-democratic-presidential-candidate-vermin-supreme-files-declaration-photo-172846229.html | title=U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Vermin Supreme files his declaration of candidacy to appear on the New Hampshire primary election ballot in Concord | publisher=Reuters | work=Yahoo! News | date=November 20, 2015 | access-date=November 23, 2015 | author=Snyder, Brian}}
• John Wolfe, Jr. of Tennessee, attorney, Democratic Party nominee for U.S. House of Representatives for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district, 2002, 2004, 2010{{cite web|url=http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/The-Latest-US-Sen-John-Boozman-files-for-6619456.php |title=The Latest: Attorney files to run for Supreme Court post |publisher=Times Union |access-date=November 12, 2015}}{{cite web|author=William M. Gardner |url=http://sos.nh.gov/ |title=Home - NHSOS |website=Sos.nh.gov |access-date=December 5, 2015}}

In addition to appearing on the New Hampshire primary ballot, the following candidates were on the primary ballot in one or more other state(s):

• Steve Burke, former St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee Chair
• Henry Hewes
• Michael Steinberg, lawyer, candidate U.S. House of Representatives 2006
• Star Locke of Texas, rancher
• James Valentine of Virginia, political philosopherFederal Election Commission, [http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?candidateCommitteeId=P60017100&tabIndex=3 "Details for Candidate ID : P60017100"] (Valentine, James). Retrieved November 8, 2015.The Associated Press (November 5, 2015). [http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/nov/05/democrat-urging-constitution-rewrite-files-run-pre/ "Democrat urging Constitution rewrite files to run for president in Arkansas"], Arkansas Online.The Associated Press (November 5, 2015). [http://katv.com/news/political/fourth-democrat-files-to-run-for-president-in-arkansas "Fourth Democrat files to run for president in Arkansas"], KATV.

The following were not listed on the primary ballot in any state(s) other than New Hampshire:Office of New Hampshire Secretary of State

• Jon Adams of New York
• Eric Elbot of Massachusetts
• Bill French of Pennsylvania
• Mark Stewart Greenstein of Connecticut
• Brock C. Hutton of Maryland
• Lloyd Kelso of North Carolina
• Steven Roy Lipscomb of New Mexico
• Robert Lovitt of Kentucky
• William H. McGaughey, Jr. of Minnesota
• Raymond Michael Moroz of New York
• Edward T. O'Donnell, Jr.
• Edward Sonnino
• Graham Schwass
• David John Thistle of New Hampshire
• Richard Lyons Weil of Colorado

{{Clear}}

{{see also|Statewide opinion polling for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries}}

{{New Hampshire Democratic primary polls, 2016}}

File:New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary election results by town, 2016.svg did not report results from municipalities where there were five or fewer registered voters.{{cite web|last1=Mihalik|first1=Lily|last2=Anthony|first2=Pesce|last3=Ben|first3=Welsh|title=Live results from the 2016 New Hampshire primary|url=http://graphics.latimes.com/election-2016-new-hampshire-results/|website=Los Angeles Times|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=February 10, 2016}}}}}}]]

{{2016NHDem}}

Sanders won every county.{{cite web| url = http://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/new-hampshire| title = New Hampshire Election Results 2016: President Live Map by County, Real-Time Voting Updates - POLITICO}}

Sanders scored a landslide 22-point routing in the New Hampshire primary, thanks to what The New York Times described as a "harness [of] working-class fury"{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/us/politics/new-hampshire-primary.html|title=Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders Win in New Hampshire Primary|last1=Healy|first1=Patrick|date=2016-02-09|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-10-18}} against the so-called "establishment" candidates like Hillary Clinton, in a state known for its rebellious electorate. Sanders' win was propelled by younger voters, whom he won 74–25, men whom he won 67–32, self-identified Independents whom he won 73–25, and white voters whom he won 61-37 and who comprised 91% of the Democratic electorate in New Hampshire. According to exit polls, a 53–45 majority of voters thought Clinton was not honest or trustworthy, while 89% said Sanders was honest. 61% of voters said they were dissatisfied or angry about the federal government. Sanders swept all income levels and educational attainment levels in New Hampshire, except those who made more than $200k per year.

Sanders swept all of the major cities, including Nashua, Dover, Concord, and Manchester. Sanders won along the seacoast 59–41, in the Manchester/Nashua area 54–44, in Concord/Ct. Valley 64–35, in the south 59–39, and in the north 65–33.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/election/primaries/polls/nh/Dem|title=2016 Election Center|website=CNN|access-date=2016-10-18}} Clinton only won three towns: Bedford, Millsfield, and Windham.{{Cite news|date=2016-09-29|title=New Hampshire Primary Election Results 2016|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=http://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/primaries/new-hampshire|access-date=2020-11-21|issn=0362-4331}}

Sanders' landslide victory was a clear regression for Clinton from 2008, when she had narrowly beaten Barack Obama in the 2008 New Hampshire primary thanks to support from populous southern New Hampshire. Both Sanders' percentage of the vote and margin of victory are the largest in a Democratic New Hampshire primary since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

• 2016 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary

Notes

{{Notelist|50em}}

Citations

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{2016 Democratic primaries}}

New Hampshire

Democratic primary

2016