Bush, Bradley win early vote in Dixville Notch
February 1, 2000
Web posted at: 2:15 a.m. EST (0715 GMT)
DIXVILLE NOTCH, New Hampshire (CNN) -- Democrat Bill Bradley and Republican George W. Bush won the first precinct to be counted in the nation's first presidential primary by narrow margins Tuesday.
The voters of Dixville Notch traditionally cast ballots in the New Hampshire primary just after midnight. The town's voters have correctly chosen the eventual Republican nominee every year since 1968.
23 Republicans and six Democrats voted in Dixville Notch on Tuesday morning: Bush, the governor of Texas and son of former President George Bush, claimed 12 GOP ballots to edge out Arizona Sen. John McCain.
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Voters in Dixville Notch line up to cast their ballots at midnight on Monday
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Publisher Steve Forbes brought up the rear of the GOP field with one vote, while the town's voters ignored Alan Keyes and Gary Bauer.
On the Democratic side, Bradley beat Vice President Al Gore by a 2-1 margin -- four votes to two.
Later Tuesday, a record 351,000 voters are expected to cast ballots in either the Democratic or Republican races.
Many polls -- including a CNN/USA Today/Gallup tracking poll taken Sunday -- indicate Bush could lose to McCain. Gore, who faces a stiff challenge on the Democratic side from Bradley, is only slightly better right now: Gore holds a small lead in most surveys.
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