RINDGE, N.H. (AP) — The Latest on the race for president, with candidates focusing on New Hampshire, which holds the first primary in the 2016 race on Tuesday (all times local):
12:25 p.m.
Bernie Sanders is expressing confidence about his chances in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.
The Vermont senator addressed a crowded rally in Rindge, New Hampshire, Saturday.
He notes that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the state in 2008, but says he’s confident he’s going to win if “we can bring out a decent vote” Tuesday. Sanders leads Clinton in state polls.
Sanders offered his plans for “political revolution” to the enthusiastic room, including single-payer health care, free tuition at public universities and Wall Street reforms.
He says that the eyes of the world will know that the country is about to move in a new direction.
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11:50 a.m.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says Donald Trump will be welcomed back to the debate stage “with open arms.”
At a campaign rally in Bedford Saturday, Christie jokingly thanked the crowd and said that he was thrilled that “none of you people made enough fun of Donald Trump to make him not come tonight.”
Christie is marking his 70th day in New Hampshire and continued his criticism of Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz as first-term senators who aren’t ready to be president.
He says debate viewers will see a clear difference between those who are prepared to lead and those who are just continuing to talk.
The debate is Saturday night at Saint Anselm College in Manchester.
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11:45 a.m.
Two Republican governors who share New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s experience of leading heavily Democratic states are joining him on the campaign trail.
Govs. Larry Hogan of Maryland and Charlie Baker of Massachusetts kicked off a rally for Christie in Bedford. Hogan says all three are conservatives getting things done in their states. Baker praised Christie’s determination, toughness and ability to advance his agenda by working with people who disagree with him.
Baker says the country needs a president who set an agenda on their own terms and has the capacity and ability to work with others to drive the country in the right direction.
Christie urged his supporter to work hard in the run up to Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.
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11:20 a.m.
Iowa didn’t turn out the way Donald Trump wanted.
So after Trump shrouded his Iowa operations in secrecy, the Republican’s presidential campaign has opened the door to what appears to be more robust effort in New Hampshire to ensure that his supporters actually vote for him.
Trump finished second to Ted Cruz in last Monday’s Iowa caucuses. Next up is the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, and polls put Trump atop the field.
Trumps tells The Associated Press that he thinks “we’re going to have an OK ground game” in New Hampshire.
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11:10 a.m.
Hillary Clinton is working hard to try to convince voters that she’s authentic. But it seems she’s having trouble earning the public’s trust.
Rival Bernie Sanders is stepping up his criticism of her Wall Street ties and raising questions about whether she’s really a liberal. His message is connecting with younger people.
They seem less interested in Clinton’s pitch as a “progressive who gets things done” than in Sanders’ call for a “political revolution.”
According to surveys of Iowa caucus-goers, it appears that questions about Clinton’s authenticity hurt her in the state.
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11 a.m.
Jeff Ashcraft just wanted to know Chris Christie’s take on U.S. policy in the Middle East.
So he tossed out the question at an event before last Monday’s Iowa caucuses. Ashcraft says his son is set to deploy to Iraq in May.
Ashcraft says the Republican presidential contender gave “probably the most detailed answer” he’s heard from a candidate so far.
But Ashcraft didn’t caucus for the New Jersey governor. Instead he backed Marco Rubio — saying the Florida senator has a better shot at getting elected and would make a great president.
Christie has made the exchange with Ashcraft a staple of his New Hampshire stump speech. The Christie campaign says the point of the story is about the serious responsibilities of the next president.
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10:40 a.m.
It’s the final debate before the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, and Donald Trump is rejoining his Republican presidential rivals on the stage.
The debate is Saturday night at Saint Anselm College in Manchester.
Trump skipped the last debate in Iowa because of a dispute with host Fox News.
He finished second to Ted Cruz in the leadoff caucuses last Monday and some rivals sense weakness even though the billionaire businessman is the favorite in New Hampshire polling.
After Iowa, some Republicans dropped out of the race and the New Hampshire results could determine whether more candidates quit the 2016 race.
Host ABC has dropped an undercard debate for low-polling candidates, and debate rules have left Carly Fiorina as the only contender without a spot on stage Saturday night
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