By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 2/2/2000

ANCHESTER, N.H. - Millions of Bill Bradley's campaign dollars are gone. More than a year of his time was exhausted as he stumped from living rooms in rural Iowa to factory gates in New Hampshire mill towns. And by the end he was searching for new ways to prevent incidents of the erratic heartbeat that plagued him along the way.

NEW HAMPSHIRE RESULTS Republican 98% of precincts reporting McCain 49% Bush 31% Forbes 13% Keyes 6% Bauer 1% Democrats 98% of precincts reporting Gore 52% Bradley 47% Percentages will not necessarily add to 100. FROM THE GLOBE Democrats fight to a close finish Independents turn GOP contest Contrarians speak up, leaders get wake up call Arizona senator has found strength in his weaknesses Independent voters say character was key to decision Why they voted the way they did Result no setback for Bush backer Cellucci Primary shows off NBC synergy Independents seen taking up the insurgents' fight Bauer, Keyes unbowed as they vow to soldier on Forbes hopes to make it a three-way race Bush campaign says it's ready to move on In Granite State diner, a final helping of politics First primary settled, campaigns mull new tactics On campaign trail, it's a frantic pace Vow of tenacity keeps Bradley's spirits high, focus keen For vice president's campaign, no letup in asking for votes NECN VIDEO Forbes praises McCain win, asks for more support Keyes will stay in race, despite big N.H. loss Gore wins the Democratic N.H. primary over Bradley Bradley greets voters at polls Will Bradley triumph? Turnout heavy in Granite State Can McCain pull off a victory? Gore makes a last minute effort These video clips are viewed using RealPlayer. Get RealPlayer | Help EARLIER COVERAGE Gore wins close race among Democrats McCain savors big win over Bush in GOP race True to tradition, N.H. tests front-runners McCain impressed voters as straight shooter GOP voters happier with candidates than in '96 Independents say character was key to vote Granite State voters have their say N.H. Secretary of State again predicts high turnout Keys to reading the New Hampshire returns Bradley, McCain win Dixville Notch, Hart's Location

Yet Bradley has just begun the campaign he describes as ''a joyous journey.''

Last night, the preliminary rounds ended. Win or lose, Bill Bradley said from the start, Iowa and New Hampshire were waystations on the road to the ''national primary,'' the 15-state prize fight on March 7 on which he has bet his campaign.

Despite his drubbing in Iowa and a potentially damaging loss in New Hampshire, Bradley and his aides last night said they never expected to beat Al Gore, a sitting vice president, in the first two contests.

''It's a whole new day,'' Bradley's spokesman, Eric Hauser, said in a drafty arena at New Hampshire College, the campaign's election night headquarters. ''Tomorrow begins the national primary.''

With $20 million in the bank, an enduring belief in his ''new politics'' of bold ideas and integrity, and growing acrimony toward Gore, Bradley is about to wager that he can build enough momentum to surge past Gore by the middle of March.

New Hampshire polls showed him trailing Gore by margins ranging from 1 point to 16 points on the eve of the primary.

''We've made a remarkable turnaround,'' Bradley told supporters in a rousing speech that was less a concession than a rallying cry. ''But there is still a tough fight ahead.''

In a musical symbol of the campaign's spirit, Bradley walked on and off the stage to the Rolling Stones anthem, ''Start Me Up.'' He was flanked by his wife, Ernestine, and top allies, including Minnesota Senator Paul D. Wellstone and Harvard professor Cornel West.

Moments earlier, Bradley supporter Richard Goodwin, a former speechwriter for President John F. Kennedy, cited a number of election surprises, including Eugene McCarthy's stunning second-place finish behind President Johnson in New Hampshire in 1968 and McCarthy's defeat of Robert F. Kennedy in Oregon later that year.

''In other parts of the country, they haven't even thought about Bill Bradley yet,'' Goodwin said. ''Once they do, it's all possible.''

Yet if Bradley cannot catch Gore by mid-March, Bradley has acknowledged, his candidacy is ''toast.''

Bradley, like Goodwin, believes the nation has yet to focus on the election. And he is hoping that his message and his money, if not his momentum, can change his fortunes despite Gore's lock on the national Democratic establishment and organized labor.

But Bradley's inability to break through in Iowa or New Hampshire sets back his cause. Last night, he set off on a frenetic, three-day sweep through nearly half the March 7 primary states, including the two top prizes: New York and California. He was scheduled to hit Connecticut and New York today, then fly to San Francisco for an event tomorrow morning. He is off to Maryland and Florida on Friday, and he has stops planned in New York Sunday, and Ohio and Missouri Monday.

But as Bradley left New Hampshire, memories of his arrival remained fresh. When he touched down at the Manchester airport at 3:30 a.m. last week after his loss in Iowa, Bradley told cheering supporters, ''We came here for a win.''

Last night, he headed south, still hoping.