"If you believe in economic growth...if you believe in the values that made America strong then you have a home in the Dole campaign," said Dole, the Senate Majority Leader.

"We want to be an inclusive party and we want to make room for more and more people across America," Dole said.

John Frey, the coordinator of Dole's Connecticut headquarters, said polls show Dole with a 17 point lead in that state and downplayed Dole's finish here.

But the loss is a clear blow to Dole's campaign, and he now has begun this presidential primary season in a rather inauspicious manner.

He barely squeezed out a victory in last week's Iowa caucus and he finished second here after once having a 20 point lead.

Buchanan in New Hampshire repeated his strong showing in Alaska, Louisiana and Iowa where he drew voters from anti-abortionists and social conservatives.

Alexander and Dole split the support of the moderate conservatives and some 60 percent of Republicans who favor free trade thereby enabling Buchanan's camp to emerge victorious.

And millionaire publisher Malcolm S. "Steve" Forbes, who Buchanan and Dole have blasted as "too liberal" said last night at his headquarters in Nashua that his fourth place finish was enough to keep in the race.

"My views about how to get America moving are larger than this campaign," he said: "We are setting an agenda."

William Bennett, the national chair of the Alexander campaign and former Education Secretary, urged voters to come to a consensus and to keep the nomination out of Buchanan's hands.

"The party will not nominate Pat Buchanan," Bennett told the Crimson yesterday.