McCain Cements Front Runner Status; Clinton & Obama Split (Updated)

Update(2): Delegate Count: Needed to Win - 1,191

McCain: 680

Romney: 270

Huckabee: 176

McCain has won - or is projected to win nine states, including the big three of Califoria, Missouri and New York:

Arizona, California, Connecticut, Deleware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma.

We won't know the final delegate count for McCain until tommorow, but it should about twice as many delegates as the next closest competitor - Romney. McCain at a minimum has cemented front runner status. If, as I suspect, Romney ends campaign shortly, then McCain will be the putative nominee and can start focusing on the Presidential race. Given that nearly twice as many people are showing up to vote in the Democratic primaries as the Republican, McCain's focus needs to quickly shift to energizing Republican voters.

Romney won six states:

Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah

And the Huckster managed to sell his snake oil in my neck of the woods . . . much to my chagrin.

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia

The Huckster has served his purpose in splitting in the Romney vote. Look for his to fade away until he receives his quid pro quo and McCain names his as his Vice Pontif nominee.


And On The Left . . . . . A Split, edge HillBill, but O has the Mo and can claim the most states won

Update(2) - Delegate Count: Needed to Win - 2,026

Clinton: 818

Obama: 730

Clinton came away with winning less states, but she took the biggest ones and is expected to hold about a 100 delegate lead when the dust clears tomorrow. She won, or is projected to have won:

Arizona (51%), Arkansas (73%), California (55%), Massachusetts (56%), New Jersey (54%), New York (57%), Oklahoma (55%), Tennessee (54%)

Obama keeps the Obamamania going. He won 13 states to Hillary's paltry 8. That is a big spread, even though he lost the delegate battle a little bit. There is no question how this will be spun tomorrow.

Alabama (56%), Alaska (73%), Colorado (66%), Connecticut (50%), Deleware (53%), Georgia (66%), Idaho (80%), Illinois (64%), Kansas (73%), Minnesota (67%), Missouri (49%), North Dakota (61%), Utah (56%)

Update: One of the nice things to see is the value of a Ted Kennedy / John Kerry endorsement for Obama. Both of the Massachusetts Senators endorsed Obama. Clinton won Massachusetts. Heh.

The next primaries will be Kanasas, Louisiana and Washington state on Saturday, and a week from today, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.

All I can say is this Democratic battle is really fun to watch. I look forward to enjoying it until a candidate is chosen at the Convention.