(CBS NEWS) Concord – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire primary, overcoming harsh attacks from his rivals to complete an unprecedented sweep of the first two states on the GOP nominating calendar.
Second place went to Texas Rep. Ron Paul. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who essentially staked his entire campaign on a strong showing in the Granite State, came in third.
Romney’s win in New Hampshire, coupled with his victory in the very different state of Iowa, cements his status as the clear frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination – albeit one about whom many Republicans have yet to embrace, as evidenced by national polls showing him unable to win more than 30 percent support.