Bernie Sanders on Tuesday night notched his first win of the 2016 presidential race, defeating Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire Democratic primary.
Sanders' victory here caps a remarkable milestone for the self-described democratic socialist. Since announcing his unlikely campaign in April, the Vermont senator has developed a cult-like following of supporters and rallied the Democratic Party's progressive base, exposing serious vulnerabilities in Clinton's candidacy.
To a jubilant crowd gathered at a local high school gymnasium here, Sanders thanked his supporters for helping to send a message that he said would "echo from Wall Street to Washington, from Maine to California."
"And that is that the government of our great country belongs to all of the people, and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors and their super PACS," Sanders boomed.
He reminded the hundreds that were gathered here that his campaign had no organization and no money when it first launched nine months ago. But now, Sanders promised, the enthusiasm and energy behind his "political revolution" could take him all the way to the White House in November.
"Because of huge voter turnout -- and I say huge! -- we won," Sanders said, a reference to one of GOP front-runner Donald Trump's favorite catchphrases. "We harnessed the energy and the excitement that the Democratic Party will need to succeed in November."