By the Associated Press:
With urgency rising in their nomination fight, Democratic presidential front-runners Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg beat back a barrage of attacks during a debate in New Hampshire.
The Democrats’ top presidential contenders clashed repeatedly over experience and ability to beat President Donald Trump. The debate tested the strength of a new front-runner, former Midwestern Mayor Buttigieg, and struggling former Vice President Joe Biden as well as Vermont Senator Sanders.
Biden raised questions about Sanders’ status as a democratic socialist and warned Democratic voters that Trump and his allies would use the socialism label in congressional elections as well as the presidential voting.
A few days before the next Democratic primary, the scene in New Hampshire is downright calm. Most major Democratic presidential contenders were off the campaign trail before Friday night’s debate.
The campaigns are expected to shift into overdrive Saturday, starting with a major state party dinner.
New Hampshire’s Feb. 11 primary could be more important than ever this year, following Iowa’s muddled results. The AP was unable to declare a winner because of the tight margin between Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg and irregularities in the caucus process.
