Romney could’ve used those delegates, and he’s pissed:
Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Pfft. “They”, in both the singular and collective, will pull that big red lever and we all know it. Including them.
-Joe
There are really two separate questions here: turnout level, and who the ones that turn out will vote for.
We agree on the second question, which is what you appear to be answering. But I was addressing the first one.
Since evangelical turnout levels have in fact fluctuated in the past, I see no reason to believe that those turnout levels have suddenly stopped doing so, and that their 2004 peak will become their new constant turnout level. That would make no sense at all.
Since Romney is now out, can we confidently state McCain has it sewn up? Or might Huckabee have some surprises in store?
I think this is about sewed up. I figure Huck will last through the Virginia Primary and then drop out.
The Clinton & Obama camps are disappointed. Romney looked far more beatable than McCain.
Huckabee projected winner in Kansas
Early Numbers:
Huckabee 60%
McCain 23%
Paul 11%
It’s a Huckabee blowout!
Does it really make a difference?
Well, it could. It’s very much a longshot, but if Huckabee rolls going forward, he could conceivably deny McCain the delegates he needs to win on the first ballot. Or so say the talking heads on CNN.
Looks like Huckabees on track for a sweep tonight; Kansas, Louisiana, Washington. McCain gets nothing.
Combined with Romney’s win in the CPAC straw poll, things are not looking good for the GOP’s heir apparent. Even if he walks away from the convention with the nomination, he’s faced with a party split of historic proportions.
I thought Washington wasn’t declared yet?
CNN has McCain slightly ahead at 26% with 78% counted. The real stunner is Paul at 21%. Huck has 24%.
BTW: Obama took all three Democratic Primaries by large Margins, he closed the gap by another 37 delegates. HRC’s lead is shrinking quick.
Jim
Since neither candidate got 50 percent of the vote in Louisiana, the race will be settled by a party convention next week. So I think it’s too soon to say Huckabee really won there.
It sounds like Huckabee really can’t catch McCain no matter what. McCain is up by about 700 delegates to 200, and a little less than 1,200 are needed for the win. But if Huckabee is trying to make a case for the VP slot, I think he’s doing it very convincingly.
Huck as VP scares me, he would be a really scary choice to be one heart beat from power and for McCain, that phrase takes on a little more meaning.
I think Huck would only hurt McCain’s chances but I can also see where he would ensure the Theocons actually come out and vote and that many voters won’t really be concerned with him as he seems likable.
BTW: It looks like McCain will pull out Washington by a narrow margin. Does anyone know how the rules work in Washington? The percentages are all very low.
It’s 5:30 sunday, and 13% of the vote remains unreported. That’s odd, but the real stunner in Washington is Romney’s 16%. The man has dropped out, and still polls within 10 points of the front runner. That’s a seriously divided party the GOP has up there.
To me, the stunner is that McCain could only manage 26% support among Washington state Republican caucus-goers, despite being the presumptive nominee. If he’d just had problems in Louisiana and Kansas, one could write it off as a regional thing, having as much to do with Huck’s strength in the South as with McCain. Washington’s way outside that region.
Sounds like a lot of Republicans aren’t happy with their choice.
Well, maybe Newt Gingrich will ride to the rescue of his party.
Tee hee.
Apparently, we won’t know who really won Washington until monday.
From the state Republican party:
Sen. McCain Wins Republican Precinct Caucuses in Washington State
I suppose it takes time to get numbers from Washington’s remote mountain villages, but something smells a little funny here.
That’s why you don’t have primaries on Saturday, because no one wants to count votes on Sunday.