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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Democrats scramble for lead in New Hampshire

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Democrats scramble for lead in New Hampshire
Democrats scramble for lead in New Hampshire

Democrats scrambled to gain an edge with voters on Saturday on the last weekend before the party’s next presidential nominating contest in New Hampshire, where Pete Buttigieg began drawing fire as the candidate on the rise.

Conway G.

Gittens reports.

As Democratic contenders spread across the state of New Hampshire on Saturday - in a scramble to gain an edge with voters - on the last weekend before the party's next presidential nominating contest -former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Buttigieg told supporters he feels Democrats need fresh blood and new ideas.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): PETE BUTTIGIEG, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SAYING: "We may not agree on everything but we can agree that the time has come to deliver this change before it is too late and that's what this campaign is about because I am the candidate that's best prepared to beat Donald Trump." The latest Suffolk University tracking poll of New Hampshire Democratic voters showed Buttigieg with a one point lead over Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, which is within the margin of error.

A CNN poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center showed Sanders still holding a lead but with Buttigieg swiftly gaining on him.

That puts the two once again on a collision course after both declared victory in the Iowa caucuses after a virtual tie.

Sanders, however, looked past Buttigieg on Saturday setting his sights on a different potential rival - Michael Bloomberg.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SAYING: "We have a former mayor of New York - I won't mention his name - now I have no objection.

He is a nice guy and he has his views and he's more than entitled to his views and he's more than entitled to run for president or anything else he wants to run for, but in my view - what he is not entitled to is to buy an election." Sanders strong showing in the polls could be a headache for Senator Elizabeth Warren as the two fight it out for the liberal wing of the party.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SAYING: "There are a lot of folks who are going to talk about what's not winnable, what can't be done and definitely who can't do it.

They are going to talk about it right up until we get in that fight, we persist and we win.

That is how I will be the first woman president of the United States of America." Warren falls into third place in the Suffolk poll that has Buttigieg and Sanders at the top...leaving former Vice President Joe Biden in the number four spot.

Already conceding at Friday night's debate that he probably won't do well in New Hampshire, Biden spent part of the day greeting voters and volunteering at a food bank - and then he took the stage with a sharpened aim at Buttigieg.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SAYING: "I have a great deal of respect for Mayor Pete and his service to the nation but I do not believe we are a party of risk if they nominate me and I do believe we are a party at risk if we nominate someone who has never held a higher office than the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana." Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire, could help boost one Democratic candidate above the pack - but no one is quite sure yet who that will be.

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