Republican presidential hopeful former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday, becoming the first non-incumbent Republican presidential candidate to win both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire presidential primary.

With 92 percent of all votes counted, Romney led with 39.3 percent, followed by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas with 22.9 percent. Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah stood in third with 16.9 percent.

As Tuesday turned into Wednesday, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania were battling for fourth, with Gingrich taking 9.4 percent fo Santorum's 9.3 percent -- a numerical difference of fewer than 200 votes out of a total of about 230,000 cast.

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas took a distant sixth with 1 percent.

Networks and news agencies called the contest for Romney right after 8 pm when all polls closed in the Granite State. Romney took to the stage in Manchester right afterward to address supporters.

“Tonight, we made history,” Romney, who finished second in the Granite State in 2008 behind John McCain, told a cheering crowd.

In his victory speech, Romney called out President Barack Obama.

Romney took aim at the Democratic incumbent’s record on the economy and attacking his “failed leadership.”

Romney made a pitch to South Carolina voters, asking them to back his campaign and reject Obama and his Republican rivals. The former Massachusetts governor attempted to contrast himself with Obama, insisting the president is inspired by European-style socialism and supportsd big government while Romney insisted he believes in American exceptionalism and the free market.

“The president has run out of ideas,” said Romney. “Now he is running out of excuses.”

Paul, who placed a solid third in Iowa, said Romney had a “clear victory” in New Hampshire but added there was another win on Tuesday night.

“We have had a victory for the cause of liberty tonight,” Paul said. The maverick Texas congressman insisted that ending the Federal Reserve will remain a “dominant issue” in the campaign.

Paul will head to South Carolina on Wednesday where he will hold a rally in West Columbia.

Having focused heavily on New Hampshire, even noting that “nobody else even came close" to the 170 events he held in the Granite State, Huntsman attempted to claim momentum despite his third place finish.

“I think we’re in the hunt,” Huntsman maintained. “I say third place is a ticket to ride.”

Talking to supporters, Huntsman repeated his recent campaign slogan of “country first” and focused on foreign policy, arguing that the U.S. can no longer afford military operations like those in Afghanistan. He also pushed congressional term limits, insisting there was a “trust deficit” in America.

Huntsman also insisted that he will compete in the Palmetto State. “Hello, South Carolina,” he told cheering supporters.

Following his strong showing in Iowa, where he lost to Romney by eight votes, Santorum insisted that he was satisfied with his performance, though he knew New Hampshire would be a “little tougher.”

Santorum told his supporters on Tuesday night that it was important to bring his social conservative message to the Granite State.

“We built this campaign here in New Hampshire in a short period of time,” Santorum maintained.

Santorum said his campaign would go on to South Carolina. “We have an opportunity in this race,” Santorum told his supporters. “We have the opportunity to be the true conservative in this race ... and to win this race.”

Gingrich also insisted he was on to South Carolina.

“This is step two in a long process,” Gingrich told his supporters in New Hampshire on Tuesday night. “This campaign is going to go on to South Carolina.”