Trump Cruises To Victory In New Hampshire

Donald Trump has notched his first victory of the 2016 White House race with a commanding win in the New Hampshire Republican primary.

The billionaire businessman's double-digit win provided a much-needed rebound following his second place finish in Iowa a week earlier.

Speaking to supporters after gaining 35% of the vote, Mr Trump referenced his campaign's ground work in New Hampshire versus Iowa.

"We learned a lot about ground games in one week, let me tell you," he said to cheers.

Meanwhile, the race for second place in the Granite State went to Ohio Governor John Kasich.

Following a dismal performance in Iowa, where he garnered less than 2% of the vote, Mr Kasich overtook the rest of the GOP field on Tuesday with 16%.

The battle for third remained tight, with Iowa winner Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush running neck-and-neck at 11-12%.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio , coming off a strong third place finish in the Hawkeye State, rounded out the top five at 10%.

Mr Trump was considered a shoo-in for victory in New Hampshire after holding a commanding, double-digit lead in opinion polls for months.

Basking in the win on Tuesday night, the tycoon congratulated his Republican rivals and thanked members of his family, including his late parents.

"My parents are looking down," he said. "They're saying, 'This is something very special'."

Mr Trump then went back to his usual form, promising supporters he would be the "greatest jobs President God ever created", and vowing to "knock the hell" out of the Islamic State.

He also took an opportunity to knock Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who minutes before Mr Trump took the podium, was basking in his own victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton .

Making a reference to Mr Sanders' speech, Mr Trump said: "He wants to give away our county ... we're not going to let it happen."

The Republican field will next set their sights on the 20 February primary in South Carolina, where Mr Trump currently enjoys a 16-point lead in the opinion polls.

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The candidates will square off in a televised debate in The Palmetto State on Saturday night.