McCain's win keeps contest wide open

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Sen. John McCain of Arizona completed a stunning political resurrection Tuesday, decisively winning New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary and embarrassing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in his own backyard.

McCain's victory further scrambles a Republican race that now moves to Michigan and South Carolina. After New Hampshire, the fight for a new Republican standard-bearer remains a wide-open contest.

"My friends, I'm past the age when I can claim the name 'kid,' no matter what adjective precedes it," McCain, 71, told an ecstatic crowd in Manchester. "But tonight, we sure showed 'em what a comeback looks like."

New Hampshire could propel McCain toward the Republican nomination, giving him the momentum he needs to win future contests. But he will face a stiff challenge in South Carolina from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose folksy charm and religious credentials have made him a potent force in the race. He will have to confront Romney's family roots and personal wealth in Michigan, which votes next Tuesday. And former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is waiting in Florida for the battle to come to him.

For Romney, who has invested more than $20 million of his own money in his campaign, the second-place finish is devastating. His methodical campaign was built on the idea that victories in Iowa and New Hampshire would propel him to the nomination. But accusations that he is a flip-flopper dragged him down as he waged a multifront campaign against McCain and Huckabee.

Romney, who had led polls for months in New Hampshire, vowed Tuesday to continue his campaign, saying that his twin second-place showings to two different candidates mean he is the only contender who is broadly competitive across the country. In a brief concession speech, he vowed to go "on to Michigan and South Carolina and Florida and Nevada and states after that," adding: "I'll fight to be back here in November, in those states and in others."

McCain's victory was aided by Huckabee's defeat of Romney five days earlier in Iowa. Huckabee came in third in New Hampshire behind Romney.

Giuliani, who spent millions of dollars in the Granite State but never seemed committed to the race, virtually disappeared, finishing fourth, while Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, the anti-war conservative, finished fifth. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson placed sixth.

State officials estimated Tuesday's record-breaking turnout exceeded a half-million voters.

McCain drew strong support from independents, despite predictions that many would vote for Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the Democratic primary instead. About 37 percent of the people voting in the Republican primary identified themselves as independents, according to exit polls.

Romney led McCain by more than 3-to-1 among voters who said illegal immigration was their top issue, reflecting deep resentment among conservatives toward McCain's support for providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. But among Republican voters who said the war, economy and terrorism were key, McCain was the clear winner.

McCain also got high marks for being a leader. And more voters said they thought Romney had run the most unfair campaign.

That McCain is a factor at all in the race for the nomination surprises many. His revival seemed to come about from sheer force of will, despite having little money, a skeleton staff and two very unpopular positions on immigration and Iraq.

"He's done this all with spit and glue," said Mark McKinnon, McCain's media adviser.

One thing McCain did was to go through the campaign's spending line by line, eliminating high-ticket expenditures for campaign events and banning the purchase of doughnuts — a McCain campaign staple — after finding a bill for $900.

He also modulated his position on immigration, telling voters he had heard them and would make securing the borders his first priority.

In anticipation of the North Carolina battle, McCain advisers on Tuesday announced the formation of a "Truth Squad" composed of several senior elected officials to counter attacks he may encounter in that state. McCain's 2000 New Hampshire win was quickly erased when backers of George W. Bush circulated rumors that McCain had fathered an illegitimate child and was possibly a traitor during the Vietnam War, during which he was held for five years as a prisoner of war.

"We saw what happened in Iowa with the negative attacks. We see what's happening in New Hampshire, and I can tell you for certain, we won't stand for it here in South Carolina," said South Carolina Adjutant General Stanhope Spears, a McCain backer.

In his concession speech Tuesday, Giuliani vowed to win future contests, starting in Florida. "Maybe we've lulled our opponents into a false sense of confidence now," he said.

Material from the Chicago Tribune is included in this report.