In a state where she expected significant support, Sen. Elizabeth Warren ended the night with no Democratic primary delegates in New Hampshire.
Warren hosted her primary rally in Manchester, New Hampshire Tuesday as residents cast their votes throughout the state. Voters, volunteers and staff alike came together in support of her presidential campaign.
With all precincts reporting, Warren landed in fourth place and earned about 9 percent of the votes, which is less than half of third-place Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s allotment.
Warren talked about the unification of the Democratic party and power of the middle class in the upcoming election during her speech to attendees.
“We win when we come together,” Warren said at the event. “Our campaign is best positioned to beat Trump in November because we can unite this party.”
As part of her address to her supporters, Warren emphasized the importance of voting in the upcoming election.
Despite finishing behind three other candidates, Warren said either first-place Sen. Bernie Sanders and second-place Mayor Pete Buttigieg would be better potential presidents than current President Donald Trump. The senator emphasized the need for unity among a crowded field of Democratic candidates.
“The question for us Democrats,” Warren said, “is whether [the primary] will be a long, bitter rehash of the same old divides in our party or whether we can find another way.”
Warren acknowledged the competitive nature of the race, saying advertisements affect voter decisions.
“But the fight between factions in our party has taken sharp turns in recent weeks with ads mocking other candidates,” Warren said, “and with supporters of some candidates shouting curses at other Democratic candidates.”
New Hampshire Rep. Wendy Thomas of Merrimack, New Hampshire endorsed Warren in April of 2019 and spoke at the event about how, despite the results, the fight isn’t over for Warren.
“I think America will always be afraid of strong, smart women,” Thomas said. “I was so moved by her message that I actually got a tattoo that says ‘persist’ in her handwriting.”
After attending the rally, Sara Laford, 21, of Lunenburg, Massachusetts said amid the current political climate in our country, Warren has become a source of inspiration for the nation’s future.
“It seems like the idea of America has been corrupted into something almost violent,” Laford said. “[Warren] reminded me that the America that I believe in, that I believe we can be again, is not dead as long as we can keep fighting.”
Suzanne Vail, New Hampshire state representative for Ward 3, endorsed Warren last July and said Warren has already shifted the climate of our country throughout her campaign. Vail said Warren’s words have empowered her ever since she first saw the senator speak.
“I have hope and courage that I didn’t have before the primary season started,” Vail said. “She was riveting and she had every generation engaged.”
Jennifer Tehan, 47, from Milford, Massachusetts makes buttons for Warren — independent from the campaign. Tehan said Warren must face the question of electability in terms of whether she will be able to defeat Trump come November.
Tehan showed off a button featuring a QR code to Warren’s website, which many supporters at the rally accepted and sported throughout the night.
“I think one problem that we’ve had is that people always try to throw around the ‘is she electable?’ argument,” Tehan said. “And when you’re wearing this, people see, ‘yes, she has supporters,’ ‘yes, she’s electable.’ It’s a real visual way of making people know she has grassroots support everywhere.”
Another group of candidates Warren receives support from are college students, due to her policies regarding the student debt crisis in the country.
“Families in America today are running out of time,” Warren said in her speech. “Markets without rules are theft.”
Sophie Carter, 19, from Warwick, Rhode Island said that Warren’s policy on cancelling the majority of student loan debt is extremely important to her.
“I just really appreciate how she’s super optimistic and has a message of hope,” Carter said. “I’m looking at coming out of college with a ton of student loan debt, so I’m really passionate about Elizabeth Warren’s plan to cancel student loan debt for 95 percent of Americans who have it.”
