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Bush concedes defeat in first US presidential primary

MANCHESTER (N.H.): Texas Gov. George W. Bush was surprised by Arizona Sen. John McCain's resounding victory on Tuesday but saw it as "a bump in the road" to the Republican presidential nomination, his spokeswoman said.

Communications Director Karen Hughes blamed the loss in part on publisher Steve Forbes' negative attacks on the governor's record in Texas.

Underdog McCain crushed front-runner Bush in the New Hampshire primary, winning by a wide margin, according to projections based on exit polls.

These early projections suggested McCain would win by a double-digit margin.

New Hampshire voters, renowned for backing underdogs and mavericks, overwhelmingly cast their ballots for McCain in the first primary of the 2000 election, disregarding the Texas governor's status as the choice of the Republican Party establishment and the front-runner nationally.

"On the other hand, it's a long road and it goes through all 50 states and ends in the White House," she said, an allusion to McCain's strategy to concentrate his time and resources on New Hampshire.

Bush said he welcomed an extended battle with McCain adding, "It helps the process."

McCain next hopes to upset Bush in South Carolina on Feb. 19 and in Michigan and Arizona on Feb. 22.-Reuters