Michael Suarez's girlfriend thought he was crazy for going to the event. But when the invitation came in the mail, the voter from Merrimack, New Hampshire, knew he couldn't miss a post-election party for Donald Trump.
"In this world we need a tough guy," Suarez said, referring to what he sees as the need for the president to communicate with dictators like North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin, "a macho guy who speaks his mind ".
Minutes later, he cheered along with several hundred volunteers and supporters as his candidate took the stage in the ballroom of a Nashua, New Hampshire, hotel.
The former president and Republican presidential candidate just won the New Hampshire primary with more than 54 percent of the vote to former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley's 43 percent.
Setting the record straight
The results made history in more ways than one. It's the third time Trump has outscored his rivals in the New Hampshire primary in three presidential cycles and his second victory on the campaign trail in two weeks.
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By winning the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Trump becomes the first out-of-office Republican in 40 years to win both contests.
"We set a record," exclaimed the Republican candidate, pointing to his 30 percent margin of victory in the Iowa caucuses. "It was the best result in the history of the caucus".
The New Hampshire primary came down to two candidates when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday and endorsed Trump. Ahead of the election, the former president was joined at a rally by three other presidential campaign contenders who have become supporters: South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, entrepreneur Vivek Ramswamy and North Dakota Governor Doug Burnham.
A common struggle
Haley closed the gap on Trump, taking a strong second place, much stronger than the polls had indicated.
"At one point in this campaign, 14 of us participated," Haley said at a post-election rally. "And we were at two percent in the polls. I'm a fighter, and I'm not giving up. And now we're the last ones standing, next to Donald Trump."
Haley also benefited from the support of New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and the votes of independents who elected her on the Republican ballot, such as Peggy Sawicki of Pelham, New Hampshire.
"She will bring people together," said the teacher, "and that's what we need in this country right now."
Correspondence on a slip of paper
State President Joe Biden was not on the ballot, but he easily won the Democratic primary, albeit with a little help from some friends.
Last year, the Democratic National Committee demoted New Hampshire from its historic spot as the site of the state's first primary in favor of South Carolina's more diverse electorate.
Party officials in New Hampshire angrily kicked off the primary election, and supporters launched a write-in campaign.
Moving south
The next election is in February in South Carolina, where Trump and Haley will fight again. Haley is a former governor of the state, while Trump has been collecting endorsements from state officials.
Trump predicts he will "win easily." Haley seemed up to the challenge, happily announcing at her rally Tuesday night, "Thanks for the love, New Hampshire, we're going home to South Carolina!"
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