USA: Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is greeted by a throng of supporters at a New Hampshire polling station

Record ID: 346489

  • Title: USA: Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is greeted by a throng of supporters at a New Hampshire polling station
  • Date: 11th January 2012
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 10, 2011) (REUTERS) SUPPORTERS WAITING FOR THE ARRIVAL OF U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RON PAUL PAUL GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE TO GREET CROWD PAUL TALKING TO MAN IN THE CROWD SUPPORTERS HOLDING CAMPAIGN SIGNS PAUL WALKING AND WAVING TO CROWD PAUL WALKING BACK TO HIS VEHICLE
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1B0MQZBHAIMYQVG4SIZ93KQ9A
  • Story Text: Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul visited a polling station in New Hampshire on Tuesday (January 10), as voting began in the first primary of the 2012 race for the White House.
    The Texas congressman, who appeals to New Hampshire's anti-government strain, climbed out of a black SUV to crowds cheering and chanting "President Paul!"
    Paul stopped and chatted with supporters and media alike, making a brief spin through the crowd before waving and getting back into his vehicle.
    In spite of Paul's seeming popularity, Mitt Romney, the former Governor of neighboring Massachusetts still carried a sizable poll lead on Tuesday.
    Romney's cushion was sufficient enough to force Paul and Jon Huntsman, who has campaigned almost exclusively in the state, into a battle to be a strong runner-up.
    A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Romney was way ahead of rival Republicans nationally, although he still trailed President Obama by five points in the White House race. Thirty percent of Republicans in the poll would vote for Romney, compared to 18 percent a month ago.
    Winners of New Hampshire have had mixed success in getting their party's nomination, a fact that raises questions about the primary's relevance. John McCain won the Republican primary in 2000 but lost the bid to George W. Bush. In 2008, Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary but the party nod went to Obama.
    Critics of the New Hampshire primary say it is arcane, unrepresentative, and given undue media attention. Defenders say it acts as a leveler between the more politically conservative Iowa and South Carolina Republican contests.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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