The Republican and Democratic presidential primaries were held in New Hampshire yesterday, with billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump securing his party’s lead, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders beating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary.

After losing to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the Iowa caucus last week, Trump won the Republican primary yesterday with about 35 percent of his party’s vote, well ahead of the Republican runner up Ohio Gov. John Kasich, making Trump a solid frontrunner in the Republican race.

“Even though he won the New Hampshire primary, a lot can happen between now and the election,” Adrianna Halabo ’16 said. “Nothing is set in stone.”

On the Democratic side, Sanders won approximately 60 percent of the vote, eclipsing Clinton, in a widely expected outcome.

During his victory speech following the primary, Sanders said that he had received the most individual campaign donations of any presidential candidate in the history of the United States. He hopes to ride that wave of victory into the next Democratic primary, the Nevada caucus, on Feb. 20.

“I think [Sanders’] win was expected due to Vermont’s close proximity to New Hampshire,” Erin Kelly ’16 said. “It was a good result for him, and I’m sure it will contribute to the success of his campaign.”

Polls conducted by CNN indicate that Sanders beat Clinton with votes from a wide variety of demographic groups, including women.

While the New Hampshire primary does not necessarily determine which candidate will ultimately win his or her respective party’s nomination, it is still an important part of the election process because of the widespread media attention it receives. The opportunity for candidates to do well in the primary is substantial, as underfunded candidates who do perform well in New Hampshire can gain media attention and attract campaign contributions.

In contrast, New Hampshire often spells the end of the road for candidates who perform poorly in the primary.

Indeed, Kasich surprised people with his unexpected second place Republican finish. At the time of writing, still up for grabs was third place in the Republican race, with Cruz, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio still vying for that position.

The presidential race is a competitive one. The majority of the candidates in both parties are prepared and confident for their own victories in the 2016 presidential election.