13 February 2008
Barack Obama Sweeps Recent Presidential Primaries and Caucuses
McCain, Huckabee each win Republican nominating contests
Washington -- After a week of winning every Democratic nominating contest across the country, Illinois Senator Barack Obama now has a slight lead in delegates in the close Democratic presidential nominee race.
On February 9, Democrats in Nebraska and Washington caucused while Louisiana residents cast votes in a primary. Democrats in Maine held a caucus on February 10. Record-high turnouts were reported at many voting sites -- one Nebraska caucus at a school was so overcrowded that voters were forced to leave the building and vote in a nearby parking lot.
After these victories, Obama went on to sweep the February 12 “Potomac Primaries” in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia -- which all border the Potomac River. Despite wintry weather, turnout was reported to be unusually high for primary elections. Obama won these races by large margins -- he received 60 percent of the vote in Maryland, 64 percent in Virginia and 75 percent in the District of Columbia.
Obama had been expected to do well in these recent contests, in part because several of these states have large African-American communities. However, he also did well among demographics that had been favoring New York Senator Hillary Clinton. For example, according to exit polls, 90 percent of African Americans in Virginia voted for Obama. But 60 percent of Virginia women also favored him, despite Clinton’s strong support from women in previous races.
"We won the state of Maryland. We won the Commonwealth of Virginia," Obama told supporters February 12 in Madison, Wisconsin. "And though we won in Washington, D.C., this movement won't stop until there's change in Washington, D.C. And tonight we're on our way."
Wisconsin voters head to the polls February 19. Hawaii, the state where Obama was born, also holds a Democratic caucus that day.
Clinton held a rally February 12 in El Paso, Texas, but did not mention the recent contests in her speech, which focused on issues such as health care, the environment and the economy.
The New York senator likely will be spending much time in the large southwest state over the next few weeks. Texas and Ohio, both states with large numbers of delegates, will hold primaries March 4.
JOHN McCAIN NEARER TO REPUBLICAN NOMINATION
Arizona Senator John McCain also swept the Potomac Primaries. He defeated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee by large margins in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and in a much closer race in Virginia, which has a more conservative population. McCain also narrowly won the Washington state Republican caucus February 9.
McCain's victories, including those in states that use winner-take-all systems of awarding delegates, bring him closer to earning the Republican nomination. McCain talked to his supporters in Virginia February 12 about what is expected to be his upcoming general election campaign against the Democratic nominee.
"We don't yet know for certain who will have the honor of being the Democratic Party's nominee for president," McCain said. "But we know where either of their candidates will lead this country, and we dare not let them."
McCain's victories make it nearly impossible for Huckabee to win the nomination. However, many voters still supported Huckabee: He achieved victories in Kansas and Louisiana February 9.
"I know the pundits and I know what they say, 'well, the math doesn't work out,'" Huckabee said that day.
"Folks, I didn't major in math," the former Baptist minister said. "I majored in miracles, and I still believe in those too."
