Kerry triumphs in New Hampshire

John Kerry easily won New Hampshire’s primary election on Tuesday, overpowering Howard Dean and other rivals for a second-straight victory to establish the four-term senator as the party’s presidential front-runner.

Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and former NATO commander Wesley Clark were in a distant race for third as early returns trickled in from across the state. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut was fifth, his candidacy in peril.