Live: From Donald Trump's Primary Night Rally in New Hampshire

 

MANCHESTER, N.H. — It is primary day here in New Hampshire. Polls have closed, ballots are being counted and the nation is holding its breath.

The DPolitics team found its way to Donald Trump's Primary Night Rally at the Executive Banquet Facility in Manchester. This is the same venue where Ron Paul held a campaign event four years ago. Trump is probably hoping for better numbers than Paul had. 

The line of Trump supporters outside was endless (and heavy with Trump foam fingers and "Make America Great Again" caps) and the frenzy for the media to get access into the crowded press area was real.

The DPolitics team (comprised of Alex Fisher in photography and myself) schemed a good spot among the major news outlets and we are set and ready to go. 

Live blog coming up, stay tuned.

8:02pm: Trump supporters are going crazy. Major outlets in live TV sets are projecting a Trump victory in New Hampshire. From the Democratic side, numbers indicate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is on track to defeat Clinton. Washington Post reports that former Secretary of State Clinton conceded defeat.

8:05pm: Trump supporters continue to chant the real estate mogul's name. An anchor in one of the television sets here mentioned Trump's proposal for building a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. The crowd grew even more excited. 

8:13pm: All in attendance are glued to the televisions, eager to know more about the New Hampshire results. All are smiling, a congratulatory mood in the air. Reporters are glued to their phones and laptops, as am I. Cameramen are going crazy with the mess of cables in the press area.

Now, we wait for the New Hampshire victor, who is set to make an appearance soon. 

Every time a television anchor says Trump, the crowd screams with excitement.

8:18pm: Reporters in the press area are speculating what Trump's victory speech will look like. My guess? Not that different from any other of his speeches. Maybe a little more legitimacy to brag about winning New Hampshire after his Iowa misstep. 

Seems like Ohio Gov. John Kasich is set to win a solid 16 percent of the vote in New Hampshire. His 106 town halls and the moderate electorate in New Hampshire have given life to the Ohioan. Bush is set to place third and Rubio — who has suffered after a bad showing at the last debate — will probably place fourth with 10 percent of the vote. 

8:23pm: The Trump campaign team has very good music taste. Elton John's Tiny Dance has been playing nonstop, inside and outside the facility.

8:42pm: Nothing much happening here. Crowd continues to keep up with most recent results and media crews anxiously await Trump's arrival for his victory speech. 

8:55pm: Talk in the press area is that Trump will take the stage at 9pm. The wait continues.

8:57pm: CNN is on the live television sets here. The news outlet was interviewing Rubio and Kasich supporters who said they couldn't imagine Donald Trump as the GOP candidate. Trump supporters showered the room with 'boos'.

9:05pm: Still waiting on Trump. Supporters listening to TV analysis of Trump's win. Trump won because a majority of voters believe, "He tells it how it is," according to CNN anchor.

Media getting ready for Trump. 

9:08pm: CNN just confirmed that Kasich will officially place second place in the GOP primaries in New Hampshire. Crowd seems disinterested. 

9:13pm: Well, something just grabbed the Trump supporters' interest: Hillary Clinton. Her speech is being televised at the Trump rally and the crowd is booing hard and loud. 

9:25pm: Sanders taking the stage now at his rally. His speech is being televised at Trump event. I speculate the Trump team is waiting out Sanders' appearance so that the New York business man has the final say today. 

9:35pm: Sanders still speaking live here for Trump supporters. Trump crowd seems pretty disinterested with Sanders; I speculate they don't recognize the Vermont senator as a viable contender. 

Trump set to take the stage any minute.

9:39pm: A bit of spark from the Trump crowd, "Shut up Bernie, Shut up Bernie!" they chant. 

9:46pm: Sanders mentions his single-payer program. Some Trump fans boo, even though Trump has expressed his support for it in the past.

9:55pm: Donald Trump makes his entrance along with his family.

9:56pm: Trump thanking his family members for their support in helping him, "Make America great again." 

9:58pm: "We learned a lot about ground-games in one week, let me tell you that," says Trump as he thanks his campaign staff's effort in New Hampshire.

9:59pm: Trump congratulates the other Republican candidates. "Now that I got that out of the way…" says Trump. "Who do we really want to thank? We want to thank the people of New Hampshire. I'm here a lot. It's so beautiful. I love the people."

10:00pm: "New Hampshire, remember, you started it. We're going to be back a lot." 

"When I came out I heard the end of Bernie's speech. He wants to give away our country folks. We're not going to let it happen. We are going to make America great again, but the right way. We are going to beat China, Japan, Mexico."

10:02pm: "We are going to do something so good, and so fast and so strong and the world is going to respect us for that," says Trump.

10:06pm: Trump talking about repealing Obamacare, getting rid of Common Core, and protecting the Second Amendment. 

Trump talks about Paris having the strongest gun laws in the world (don't know how true that is) and how "animals" went in and killed dozens.

Trump now moves on to talk about jobs. "I am going to be the greatest jobs President God has ever created," says Trump.

10:08pm: "We are going to kick the hell out of ISIS," says Trump. "We are going to take care about everything I have talked about. It is going to be great."

10:09pm: "We don't win as a country. We don't win against ISIS. We will win again. We will make America great again," says Trump

"We are going now to South Carolina and win in South Carolina," says Trump as he finishes his speech. 

Here in the press area, TV anchors are taking their places so they can comment live.

10:25pm: Well, that is about it folks. A bitter-sweet ending to a hectic and unbelievable 3 days in New Hampshire with the DPolitics team. Bernie, Cruz, Rubio, Vermin Supreme, and finished it off with the victorious Penn alumnus, Donald J. Trump. Hope we kept you informed and entertained. Tomorrow we head back to Philly, but The Daily Pennsylvanian will soon be back at it from South Carolina. Stay tuned.

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