KEY POINTS:
Hillary Clinton's surprise victory over Barack Obama in North Hampshire does not signal the end to the Democrats' presidential nominee race, according to US media.
But the win could spell the end for third place runner John Edwards writes Chris Cillizza in his Washington Post blog The Fix.
"What last night means is that the fight for the Democratic nomination is almost certainly a two person race between Obama and Clinton with a winner not likely to emerge before Feb. 5 or perhaps even later," said Mr Cillizza.
Both candidates could still be in the running as late as February 5, he said.
"Clinton's victory ensures that the race is on to the 20+ states who will vote on February 5. Sen. Barack Obama starts in those states with an organizational and financial edge, although Clinton should be able to make up considerable ground based on the momentum gained in New Hampshire tonight," Mr Cillizza said.
The New York Times writer Adam Nagourney said Mrs Clinton had solidified her support amongst Democrat voters while Mr Obama picked up the independent voters.
But Mr Nagourney said that the candidates are now heading to states where only Democrat Party members are able to vote in the primary election.
"Most strikingly for Mrs. Clinton, women in New Hampshire did what they did not do in Iowa: rally behind her. Women supported her by 47 per cent to 34 per cent, according to a survey of voters leaving the polls; women voters in Iowa had been evenly divided between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama," said Mr Nagourney.
Meanwhile Peter Wallsten in the Los Angeles Times drew a stronger conclusion from the New Hampshire result.
"Emerging from that win was something more durable: a road map that could guide the former first lady to the Democratic presidential nomination," he said.
Mr Wallsten said if the Democrat voters are behind Mrs Clinton then she could regain the traction lost after her defeat in Iowa.
"Tuesday's results should help to further shape the Democratic race as a two-person contest between Obama and Clinton." He said the third-place finisher Mr Edwards has vowed to continue campaigning but "should he drop out or fizzle, it is not clear which of his chief rivals would benefit more, with Clinton likely to draw union members and lower-income people who had been drawn to Edwards," said Mr Wallsten.
