McCain Wins GOP Nomination, Dem Race Continues

By Connect Mason News Director Elizabeth Stern

Sen. Hillary Clinton made a formidable comeback in the Democratic primary race on March 4 with wins in three out of four states.

Yesterday’s elections were considered by many as a thermometer for indicating the possibility of Clinton’s campaign coming to a standstill after Sen. Barack Obama claimed victory over the last 12 consecutive state primaries. Clinton bagged wins from Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio, with her level of success riding heavily on the latter two states. Obama proved victorious in Vermont.

Competition remains fierce between the two candidates, with marginal wins consistent in election results from each state. Obama continues to lead by 96 delegates over Clinton, although more superdelegates currently side with Clinton.

Discussion over a “dream ticket” that would combine the two Democratic nominee hopefuls is rapidly gaining momentum. John Kerry and John Edwards formerly employed the use of this tactical strategy in the 2004 presidential election as a way of unifying the Democratic Party. “Well, that may be where this is headed,” Clinton responded on CBS this morning.

For now, both candidates continue to hover at the halfway mark for the total number of delegates required to secure the nomination. Scrutiny over the differences between the policies of Clinton and Obama intensifies as more states demonstrate split allegiances over the markedly similar candidates.

Unless the two senators agree to share the ticket, a tactical strategy used by John Kerry and John Edwards in 2004, the Democratic primaries could drag on into the summer. Clinton made reference to husband and former President Bill Clinton's campaign, citing that his nomination did not get confirmed until June during his primary race.

As anticipated, Sen. John McCain finally sealed his bid as the presumptive GOP nominee, clinching votes from all four states. Opponent and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told supporters, “It's now important that we turn our attention not to what could have been or what we wanted to have been, but now what must be—and that is a united party.” Total votes for Huckabee amounted to approximately a fifth of the votes McCain reaped from primaries.

Pres. Bush formally announced his endorsement of McCain this morning. This was a positive step towards uniting the Republican party, an issue McCain needs to resolve to ensure success in the presidential election. McCain contends with speculation concerning his policies, which some Republicans see as too liberal on issues like immigration reform.

Controversy stirred in Texas as political analysts forecasted the distinct possibility of Conservatives casting their votes for Clinton over McCain. Texas residents are not required to vote within their affiliated party. Strategists conjectured that the crossover could be attributed to the notion that Clinton will pose less of a threat than Obama for McCain in November.

The next Democratic primary will occur Sat., March 8. Elections in Mississippi and Pennsylvania are scheduled for March 11 and April 22, respectively.