Romney rides luck to New Hampshire

A SQUEAKER of an Iowa victory in hand, Mitt Romney headed last night into the New Hampshire primary — in his own political backyard — insisting that staying power sets him apart from runners-up Rick Santorum and Ron Paul and the rest of the Republican presidential field.

Two rivals already looked shaky — last-place finisher Michele Bachmann pulled out of the battle yesterday and Rick Perry was heading home to Texas to think things over.

Michele Bachmann said she was ending her bid to win the Republican nomination, after she finished sixth out of six candidates.