Did Bill Clinton win Iowa or New Hampshire in 1992?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

Anyone remember?

[OHdem10]

1. I think he became The Comeback Kid in New Hampshire.

[karynnj]

9. He declared himself the comeback kid

He came in second to Tsongas, from neighboring MA. The comeback reference refers to the fact that he initially was doing well in NH, Gennefer Flowers hit and he went down in the polls, by the election he had pulled out of that tailspin.

Clinton then swept the group of mostly southern states in the first multi-state day.

(I think given all the John Edwards story between NH and the first multi-state day, the media was setting the story for the momentum going to Edwards when he did as Clinton did - but Kerry took 5 of the 7 states - and Clark and Edwards, one a piece.)

[Captain Hilts]

2. I don't think Iowa has picked a winner in a while. nt

[stellanoir]

3. Don't quote me on this but if memory serves. . .

He lost Iowa and was dubbed "the comeback kid" in N.H.

[dsc]

4. He didn't win either one

but Iowa had Harkin in it and no one else really competed. He finished second to Tsongas in New Hampshire.

[Byronic]

5. Nope

Harkin won Iowa, which was pretty much a non-event, as the result seemed pretty much expected from the beginning.

Tsongas won New Hampshire but Clinton's second place had him proclaimed as 'The Comeback Kid' which helped launch him to the nomination.

I was a Tsongas fan :-(

[K Gardner]

6. 1992 Primary, as I remember it..

Harkin won his home state- Iowa. Tsongas won New Hampshire. Clinton finished second in NH. Tsongas won Maryland, Arizona, Washington and Utah then withdrew. Brown won Colorado and CT. Bunch of other back and forth stuff I don't remember.

Clinton won Illinois and almost everything after that. It was a surprise to me then, but looking back on it, it gives me hope that this thing really ISNT already in the bag !

[bluerum]

7. The Clinton campaign slogan: "It's the economy stupid." It worked on B1,

it will work now.

[skipos]

8. If I remember correctly

Tom Harkin, who is from Iowa, took 76%, Tsongas got 4%, Clinton got 3%, Kerrey got 2% and Brown got 2%.
In NH Senator Paul Tsongas won, followed by Clinton, Kerrey, Tom Harkin and Brown.

[sarge43]

10. Something to keep in mind about NH

The demographic has changed radically since 1992. There's been a considerable influx of people from lower New England, especially MA. Most are Dems or Independents. The days of the Paleolithic Republican calling the shots are just about gone. They're still around, but they don't have the numbers anymore. The Dems, old and new, are realizing their vote now has impact. This is the principal reason NH's representatives are Dems; the Repubs were swept out of the state house and Sununu is a dead man walking.

So, what happened 16 years ago is no guide to the next primary.

[Alexander]

11. He opted out of Iowa and came in close #2 in New Hampshire.

Since Iowa favorite son Tom Harkin was running in 1992, every other Democrat conceded Iowa to him and concentrated their efforts elsewhere.

The polls showed Clinton at about second or third place and slipping in New Hampshire on the heels of the Gennifer Flowers story. Hence when he scored the #2 slot and almost beat Tsongas, he was the "Comeback Kid".

It's not just about numbers, it's about expectations. Bill was expected to lose both states badly, and coming in a strong second in New Hampshire against a Senator from next door was considered a victory in the expectations department.

With Hillary, it's almost the opposite story. She's expected to win and win huge - if she doesn't get a clean sweep of most primary states, it will be spun as a major defeat for her.