MANCHESTER, N.H. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton narrowly won the New Hampshire primary last night, a surprise victory for the one-time Democratic front-runner that revived her sagging fortunes and reshaped yet again the fight for the party's presidential nomination. Sen. John McCain defeated his Republican rivals to move back into contention for the GOP nomination.

"Over the last week, I listened to you, and in the process, I found my own voice," Clinton said at her victory rally, embracing a newly emotional campaign style that appeared to fuel her turnaround here. "Let's give America the kind of comeback New Hampshire has just given me."

Sen. Barack Obama, who had anticipated a second consecutive win after his Iowa caucus triumph last Thursday night, conceded shortly before 11 p.m.

"We always knew our climb would be steep," the Hawai'i-born Obama told supporters, a day after he had confidently told backers he was "riding a wave" to a win here.

Clinton's victory, after Obama won last week's Iowa caucuses, raised the possibility of a prolonged battle for the party nomination between the most viable black candidate in history and the former first lady, seeking to become the first woman to occupy the Oval Office.

"I am still fired up and ready to go," Obama told his backers, repeating the line that forms a part of virtually every campaign appearance he makes.

Former Sen. John Edwards placed a distant third, followed by Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

McCain's triumph scrambled the Republican race as well.

"We showed this country what a real comeback looks like," the Arizona senator told The Associated Press in an interview as he savored his triumph. "We're going to move on to Michigan and South Carolina and win the nomination."

Later, he told cheering supporters that together, "we have taken a step, but only a first step toward repairing the broken politics of the past and restoring the trust of the American people in their government."

McCain rode a wave of support from independent voters to defeat former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, a showing that reprised the senator's victory in the traditional first-in-the-nation primary in 2000.

It was a bitter blow for Romney, who spent millions of dollars of his own money in hopes of winning the kickoff Iowa caucuses and the first primary — and finished second in both. Even so, the businessman-turned politician said he would meet McCain next week in the Michigan primary, and he cast himself as just what the country needed to fix Washington.

"I don't care who gets the credit, Republican or Democrat. I've got no scores to settle," he told supporters.

HOW IT BROKE DOWN

The Clinton-Obama contest will be fought along generational and gender lines that divide the party and help explain yesterday's results.

Women were 57 percent of the vote, exit polls showed; they went for Clinton by a margin of 47 percent to 34 percent, while men went for Obama by 42 percent to 30 percent.Voters under the age of 30 went for Obama by 61 percent to 22 percent, while those ages 65 and older went for Clinton by 48 percent to 33 percent.

Obama's message of change continued to be a powerful draw from Democratic voters in the state, according to results of a survey of voters as they left their polling places. More than half said they were looking for a candidate who could bring changes, and half of those favored Obama.

Despite running a distant third to his better-funded rivals, Edwards had no plans to step aside. He pointed toward the South Carolina primary on Jan. 26, hoping to prevail in the state where he was born — and where he claimed his only victory in the presidential primaries four years ago.

"I am in this race until the convention," he told supporters.

RESURGENT MCCAIN

It was hard to tell who needed a Republican victory more — McCain or Romney. McCain was the long-ago front-runner who survived a near-death political experience when his fundraising dried up and his support collapsed. He shed much of his staff and regrouped. An unflinching supporter of the Iraq war, he benefited when U.S. casualties declined in the wake of a controversial buildup of U.S. troops. By the final days of the New Hampshire race, he held a celebration of sorts to mark his 100th town hall meeting in the state he won eight years ago.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the leadoff Iowa GOP caucuses last week, was third in New Hampshire.

The Republican race turns next to Michigan, where McCain and Romney already are advertising on television, and where both men planned appearances today. Huckabee also was expected to campaign in the state.

DEMOCRATS FAVORED

According to preliminary results of a survey of voters as they left their polling places, more independents cast ballots in the Democratic race than in the Republican contest. They accounted for four of every 10 Democratic votes and about a third of Republican ballots. The survey was conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks.

Republicans were split roughly evenly in naming the nation's top issues: the economy, Iraq, illegal immigration and terrorism. Romney had a big lead among those naming immigration, while McCain led on the other issues.

Among Democrats, about one-third each named the economy and Iraq as the top issues facing the country, followed by healthcare. Voters naming the economy were split about evenly between Obama and Clinton, while Obama had an advantage among those naming the other two issues. Clinton has made healthcare a signature issue for years.

The Washington Post, Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune News Service contributed to this report.