McCain Opens Big Delegate Lead In GOP Race

Super Tuesday Triumph For McCain; Huckabee Sweeps South; Romney Has Disappointing Night

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Brian Montopoli.

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Propelled by wins in delegate-rich, winner-take-all Super Tuesday states, John McCain opened up a significant lead over rivals Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney in his quest for the GOP presidential nomination.

McCain took the winner-take-all states of New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Arizona, Connecticut and Delaware, as well as California, Illinois, and Oklahoma.

The California loss was a particularly tough blow for Romney, who hoped to leverage a win in the state to slow McCain's momentum following the Arizona senator's earlier wins in Florida and South Carolina.

It was a "very disappointing night" for Romney, said CBS News political consultant Nicolle Wallace.

"For all the personal millions that Mitt Romney spent, he got a whole lot of bronze medals," said Wallace.

Romney did score victories in Massachusetts, where he served as governor, and Utah, a winner-take-all state with a large Mormon population. He also took home wins in Montana, Minnesota, Colorado, Alaska and North Dakota.

Huckabee, meanwhile, had a better-than-expected Super Tuesday driven by victories in the South.

The Baptist minister won in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia and his home state of Arkansas.

As of Wednesday evening, McCain won 607 delegates, Huckabee won 155 delegates and Romney won 119 delegates in Super Tuesday voting, according to a CBS News estimate.

Overall, McCain led with 696 delegates, followed by Huckabee with 1662 delegates and Romney with 154 delegates. 1,191 delegates are needed to secure the Republican nomination. Click here to see the full delegate count..

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View All Super Tuesday Results

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McCain spoke to supporters last night in his home state of Arizona.

"Although I've never minded the role of the underdog...tonight I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner for the nomination of the President of the United States," McCain said. "And I don't really mind it one bit." (Watch McCain Video)

According to CBS News national exit polls, 39 percent of Republicans cited the economy as their most important issue today, followed by illegal immigration (23 percent), the war in Iraq (19 percent) and terrorism (15 percent). Sixty-one percent of Republican respondents said they had a negative view of the U.S. economy.

When asked for the most important quality in a candidate, 45 percent of GOP voters said it was that they share their values. Experience was cited by 24 percent of respondents, followed by "says what he believes" at 22 percent and "has the best chance to win in November" at 7 percent.

Twenty-one states held Republican contests on Tuesday. Unlike the Democrats, Republicans allow states to hold winner-take-all contests, in which the winner of the statewide vote is awarded the vast majority of the state's delegates. For that reason, it is easier for a Republican than a Democrat to build a significant lead over his rivals. (For coverage of the Democratic race, click here.)

As the results came in Tuesday night, both Huckabee and Romney vowed to remain in the race.

"We're going to keep on battling - we're going to go all the way to the convention, we're going to win this thing and we're going to go to the White House," Romney said. (Watch Romney video)

Huckabee, who has complained that Romney cast the Republican contest as a two-man race between Romney and McCain, told CBS News anchor Katie Couric Tuesday night, "I think we're proving tonight that we're a choice for many, many conservatives, certainly across the South."

"Maybe Mitt Romney was right - it is a two-man race," he added. "It's just that I'm the other man in the race." (Watch Huckabee's interview with Couric)

According to CBS News exit polls, voters who said that their most important issue was the economy, the war in Iraq, or terrorism all favored McCain. Voters who said illegal immigration was their top issue supported Romney.

Voters who said they were looking for a candidate who "says what he believes," "has the right experience," or "has the best chance to win in November" also favored McCain. Romney won the support of voters looking for a candidate who "shares my values."

Huckabee secured the day's first victory, having received 52 percent of the votes cast at the West Virginia state GOP convention. According to CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder, McCain called many of his representatives in West Virginia and asked them to support Huckabee in an ultimately successful effort to thwart Romney.

McCain and Romney have sparred repeatedly over the course of the campaign, though McCain had kind words for his rival as the results came in.

"This election, like any election, is a rough and tumble business," McCain said. "We all want to win and we fight as hard as we can to do it. But I have respect for people who are willing to accept the extraordinary demands - all the ups and downs - of such a tough and long contest, and Governor Romney has mine."

As Super Tuesday approached, however, the candidates unleashed dueling negative ads. They also engaged in a public spat spurred by a letter that former GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole sent to Rush Limbaugh, a fierce McCain critic, asking the talk show host to give the Arizona senator a second look. (For details, see CBS News blog Horserace.)

Romney tried to leverage conservative resistance to McCain in the run-up to Super Tuesday, advertising on Limbaugh's radio program and campaigning with McCain detractor and former senator Rick Santorum.

Huckabee also engaged in verbal sparring with Romney, who suggested that Huckabee was taking conservative votes that should be going to him. Romney said last week that "a vote for Mike Huckabee is a vote for John McCain," prompting Huckabee to accuse Romney of "voter suppression."

Though McCain's campaign seemed moribund this past summer, the senator recovered to win primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida and enter Super Tuesday as the man to beat. “Lazarus must be his middle name," said CBS News senior political analyst Jeff Greenfield.

"McCain is the new face of the Republican Party," wrote CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs in an analysis of the Super Tuesday results. "Despite loud and sometimes bitter opposition from some conservative corners, the Arizona senator has edged ever closer to winning his party’s presidential nomination."

[alanrobisch]

I am glad to see Mccain being nominated. He is an honorable man who has imho good judgement. I had not known before that he refused to be freed from prison in vietnam because the north vietnamese intended to use him as a propaganda piece. That shows me he is a man of courage as well.

[kansas1946]

Hmmm....what is wrong with all of you Republicans. Are you not listening to all of your rabido-radio talking heads. Haven''t you been listening to Rush, or Hannity, or, Coulter. They are telling you that a vote for McCain is a vote for Hillary.
What''s the matter. Did your ditto-heads fall off and a brain emerge?? You can now think for yourselves?

[giantrobot2]

Mitt Romney should drop out of the race.

He says he knows how to run a business, well if that were true then he should fire himself. Romney has used up more than $70 million in American voter''s donations and has little to show for it. His product is a flop, too expensive and not selling.

On the other hand, Huckabee''s product is very inexpensive and selling just as well or better. Now come on, which product would you buy?

Romney product = $70 dollars for a widget that yields 293 delegates = $0.23 cents per widget
Huckabee product = $2 dollars for a widget that yields 190 delegates = $0.01 cent per widget

Huckabee''s product cost 1 cent per widget compared to Romney''s product at 23 cents per widget which calcuates out to the same performance of the product (division of delegates won so far). Any one in their right mind would buy the widget that costs 1 cent if it performs exactly the same as the widget that costs 23 cents.

The business formula that Romney says he is good at proves that he should drop out of the race. He is wasting tons of money. If he can''t run a campaign finacially sucessfully how in the world will he run a huge American government successfully???

Romney is losing money as fast has Enron did with social security of it''s employee''s.

Huckabee is a true leader, someone who wants to share the power with all Americans, not show his prideful power like Romney does.

Vote for true conservative Mike Huckabee!

[incog-nito]

Doesn''t matter who wins the presidency in November. It''s going to be a liberal, any way you look at it.

[tibu987]

singingrick, thought you enjoy these, if not, at least try to understand them.

"Worship Me or I Will Torture You Forever. Have a Nice Day."- god.

God Doesn''t Kill People. People Who Believe in god Kill People.

All religion is simply evolved out of fraud, fear, greed, imagination, and poetry. Edgar Allen Poe

Threatening Children With Hell Is FUN!

When the Rapture Comes, We''ll Get Our Country Back!

If God Wanted People to Believe in Him, Then Why Did He Invent Logic?

JESUS SAVES....You From Thinking For Yourself

Q. How Can You Tell That Your God is Man-made?
A. If He Hates All the Same People You Do.

Too Stupid to Understand Science? Try Religion.

"Worship Me or I Will Torture You Forever. Have a Nice Day."- God.

God Doesn''t Kill People. People Who Believe in God Kill People.

All religion is simply evolved out of fraud, fear, greed, imagination, and poetry. Edgar Allen Poe

Threatening Children With Hell Is FUN!

When the Rapture Comes, We''ll Get Our Country Back!

If God Wanted People to Believe in Him, Then Why Did He Invent Logic?

Oh, Look, Another Pro-lifer For War

Another Godless Atheist for Peace and World Harmony

[amishcar]

HELP SAVE CONSERVATIVE RON PAUL. DONATE TODAY. AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE MAGAZINE ENDORSED RON PAUL NOT INSANE MCCAIN.

[tibu987]

Politicians know and count on the limited intelligence of the electorate, they know that their attention span is about 3 seconds, do not read much, are not aware of international affairs, do not follow the candidates past and future, do not know the many pressing issues, only the now, only the today.
The average voter watches a lot of TV, but not the news, well, maybe the weather. The damage that can be done by the majority of these voters is immense.
I am disillusioned by the amount of ill-advised votes that Hillary got from blondes, little old ladies, and other airheads.
Unaware of the issues facing the next president, unaware of the need for change and NOT more of the same in Washington.
These women voted for Hillary simply, and I mean SIMPLY, because she is a woman. They will feel smug and contented should Hillary become the first female president of the U.S., never understanding how, more in this election, perhaps, than ever before, we need change. We need to change from the the current President, Congress, and Senate, change from the likes of the Clintons who are part of that inept, corrupt, and arrogant group of Washington pols. Free of the political baggage and favorsto be paid, that the Clintons will carry with them.
Obama is the only candidate that can help to make those important changes and unite the U.S.
Incidentally, I am a white, 72 year old veteran, who voted for more women than men to hold my state''''s political offices.

[hoygie]

A bullshyyt.. "dixiecrats" Suck my nub.

[cbs4me3]

My prediction. Republicans have the time now to unite for November. Democrats are terribly fractured. If Hillary wins, blacks will sit home in November. If BO wins, white voters will support Michael Bloomberg should he enter as an independent. If not, white voters will support John McCain, Vietnam hero, who is a moderate with views white voters will support. I am a democrat and this is how I am approaching the November election. Thus far, I have spoken of blacks and whites. I believe Asian Americans will support Bloomberg or McCain. Latinos, I fear, will feel disenfranchised by a Hillary loss and disinterested in the November election.

[mcvet]

But he is not a dog - he is a human and clearly has show introspection and change in behaviors.

I have not seen any transformation or introspection in Hillary.

Obama - too young - untested - unknown - says the right thing - but what is his character - who is he really?


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Posted by ilikecats1 at 04:21 PM : Feb 06, 2008
+ report abuse

Oh PLEASE. What has McCain proposed but the same tired old garbage we have now? More Tax Cuts for the Wealthy when we NOW have a debt so out of control it''s costing tax payers MILLIONS a month just to pay the interest on it. Stay the Course in Iraq, while Bin Laden is fat and happy in Pakistan. PLEASE let''s be honest if nothing else. McCain is nothing now but a lap dog of the Nazi''s and singing the same tired old song. Sieg Heil Bush!!

[mcvet]

That''''s not true. A True Republican (the party of Lincoln) is a Democrat. That is until it was hijacked by the Dixiecrats. Nixon''''s Southern Strategy DESTROYED a once great party.


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Posted by whatithink at 04:38 PM : Feb 06, 2008
+ report abuse

You are 100% Correct! The True Republican Party is no more. They have been taken over by Southern Fascist who still hold on to the past and their right to believe a version of history that NO ONE on this planet believes in. It''s terrible to see it happen but it is what it is. Sieg Heil Y''all.

[tibu987]

The way I see it, and the way it has always been,
the Republicans are for the "now", how much money, power, can we obtain during this current or the next administration. No regard for the poor, the long term view, how their actions of today will negatively affect future generations. Give it to me "now", because what the hell do I care about the future, I won''''t be around.

The Democratic liberals, not all, but some, like me,
think about what we are leaving our children, what we are doing to make the world a better place, what we can we do to help others have the democracy that we enjoy, how we can help to lift up the little guy instead of knocking him down. Not all of us can send our children to elite schools, or have more money than we need for daily expenses, we work harder, we dream bigger, we have bigger hopes and compassion for the now and the future, and we hope that all the peoples of the world will join with us.
Yeah, big difference.
Incidentally, I am a white, 72 year old veteran, and I have seen where all the years of demagogy have taken us, divided us, left us with more enemies than friends in the world, it is has not been for the better interests of the country but for the better interests of the individual.
And so it goes.....

[whatithink-2009]

Posted by bill1fj at 04:36 PM : Feb 06, 2008

That''s not true. A True Republican (the party of Lincoln) is a Democrat. That is until it was hijacked by the Dixiecrats. Nixon''s Southern Strategy DESTROYED a once great party.

[bill1fj]

I would hope that Romney and Ron Paul would throw their support to Huckabee, the only true Republican that is still electable.
From: A FORMER McCain Supporter

No Amnesty
No McCain

[samthetvcat]

omg - sorry I just realized I was posting in the GOP section. lol this was supposed to be under the Dem section :D

[whatithink-2009]

www.youtube.com/
watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY Amazing, inspirational video!

It''s time to stop fighting over left and right and look for a solution that WORKS regardless of which side it might be on!!

[joyous88]

vote for McCain four more of the same

[whatithink-2009]

Amazing, inspirational video!

youtube.com/watch?
v=jjXyqcx-mYY

[whatithink-2009]

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 04:26 PM : Feb 06, 2008

Well said. I thought the same thing when I read this post. What do we know about the true characters of any of them? Why wasn''t Bush''s bad experience a reason for people not to vote for him in droves (bankrupted two companies)?

[samthetvcat]

"Obama - too young - untested - unknown - says the right thing - but what is his character - who is he really?"
Posted by ilikecats1

Then again the older voter preference for HIllary just because she''s older seems to be largely closed to evaluating the candidates on their merits . . . on the war Hillary voted for it, on healthcare Hillary supported a plan which is unlikely to pass, on balancing budgets Hillary operates with deficits . . . why on earth people still see Obama as questionable relative to Hillary seems to defy reason imo