A blog for The Chronicle to cover the 2008 presidential election, of which Hofstra University plays a unique part as host of one of the presidential debates. Students will cover the election in real time.

February 6, 2008

The Republicans: Finding a Nominee

By Michelle Westgate

Staff Writer

Super Tuesday's primary contests confirmed the frontrunner status of Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), who captured both the most and the largest states up for grabs in the Republican contests. But the results also showed the resurgence of Gov. Mike Huckabee (Ark.), who was written off for dead after poor showings in South Carolina and Florida prior to the almost-national contest.

Twenty-one states held Republican contests during the largest primary event in modern U.S.-political history. Early in the day, candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney appeared to be the Republican front-runners.

McCain captured states traditionally won by Democrats during the general election, including New York, New Jersey and California. Huckabee won some important southern states, including Tennessee, West Virginia, Alabama and his native state of Arkansas.

Richard Himelfarb, an associate professor of political science, described Huckabee’s advance as an upset. “What this says is that McCain has not sealed the deal yet,” he said.

In a speech Tuesday night from Little Rock, Ark., Huckabee said: "A lot of people have been trying to say that this is a two-man race. You know what? It is, and we're in it."

After the results were announced, NBC News reported that Romney was going to have "frank discussions" with senior staff at his Boston campaign headquarters on Wednesday.

Most of the states that held Republican contests on Super Tuesday were winner-take-all, giving
McCain's victories in nine states added importance. He leads with 522 delegates, with Romney taking 223 and Huckabee winning 142, according to Associated Press estimates. Nearly 1,200 delegates are needed to win the nomination.

“I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner for the nomination of President of the United States," McCain said at his election night rally in Phoenix, Ariz. "And I don't really mind it one bit.”

For the Democrats: The Battle Continues

By Elizabeth Mishler
Special to the Chronicle

Just as it was predicted going in, the Democratic Primaries on Super Tuesday were very, very close. Sens. Hillary Clinton (N.Y) and Barack Obama (Ill.) split the total popular vote almost evenly, with more than 11 million Democrats voting Feb. 5, with 76 percent of total precincts reporting.

Since no candidate swept the day, the campaign continues and the battle for the Democratic nomination moves on.

But instead of the battle involving who won what states, the Democrats battled over delegates within Congressional districts, because the Democratic party nominates its delegates based on proportional vote totals. According to Associated Press estimates, Clinton leads Obama 656 to 558, including super-delegates, who are convention nominees not tied to a specific candidate.

The primary day was the closest to a National Primary election there has been in the modern primary era. Democrats voted in 23 contests, from Alaska to California, New York to Idaho. Because of proportional apportionment, a candidate can lose a state, but still win more delegates than the winner.

In the Democratic Party there are 4,049 delegates up for grabs. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates backing them in order to win the nomination.

At her election night campaign rally at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, Clinton said that she wanted to bring her voters “values and dreams” to the White House. “Tonight is your night. Tonight is our night,” she said.

Obama’s speech from his rally in Chicago emphasized his supporter's role in his campaign. “Ordinary people can still do ordinary extraordinary things,” he said. "We are the change that we seek."

The campaign for the Democratic nomination continues, with both campaigns claiming victory on a chaotic day.

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