(WA) State numbers update: McCain still ahead, but not by enough to call the race

The state Republican party just posted updated numbers, and here's what it looks like:

McCain: 25.5 percent Huckabee: 23.7 percent Paul: 20.6 percent Romney: 16.5 percent Uncommitted: 12.7 percent Other: 1.1 percent

So ... did McCain win? The Associated Press thinks so, and they've called it a victory in their election story.

But we can't be sure, because 12.8 percent of precincts haven't reported. And because the state party is posting very general numbers, there's no way for us to know which districts aren't counted and what that may mean.

Here's how state party chairman Luke Esser put it: "Based on analysis, that's how it appears." (That being a McCain win.) "We didn't want to say it's a certainty, but we should have something near final numbers in the next couple of days.

When I asked whether they'd be counting tomorrow, Esser replied: "Call us tomorrow afternoon."

yeah ... and the excuse will be to blame the conservatives and talk radio ...

the onus should be on McCain and the country club bluebloods at the RNC.

Basically ... it should be ... you got you general election candidate who can supposedly get independents and democrats ... so, prove you can organize, raise money, get volunteers, and win an election. No excuses. You’ll be running against a very liberal candidate (Hillary or Obama). NO EXCUSES.!

I would say the McCain takedown has begun.

McCain's famous bull-headedness will cause him to be a major player in his own take down. McCain, the arrogant ego-maniac that he is, thought he had won victory all by himself and could hog all the credit and not give anyone else any considerations. Obviously, McCain had NO CHANCE to win the nomination unless the conservative votes were being split up. The cost of his victory was to give Huckabee the Vice-Presidential nomination, whether that was his best choice or not. The cost of not recognizing that he was very fortunate the conservative divided the vote and not giving Huckabee what Huckabee feels he is do, is going to be quite embarrassing.

Give Jim Robinson,the founder of this forum credit, he was very quick to recognize the possibilities of a protest vote, and that is the game being played right now. Huckabee is saying give me my due, the vice-president nomination, and the conservatives that have not voted yet are saying that Huckabee is as good a place to put their vote as any if I want to show McCain that there are still a good many conservatives that neither trust him or like him. The subtext here is that by being intractable on giving Huckabee the VP, McCain is exposing how impotent and out of touch elected Republicans claiming to be leaders are. Brownback was absolutely humiliated by the voters of his home state in yesterday's results. And the absolutely brilliant former Julie Annie supporter Rick Perry cannot be comfortable with the Texas primary on the horizon. If McCain does not want to do himself further damage, he will get Huckabee on the sinking ship McCain before the Texas primary. If there is such a thing as a conservative protest vote, then what better place to show by taking down McCain in Jorge's backyard. I say the conservatives last stand is going to be Texas, but then again it is not a last stand if Huckabee takes McCain to the woodshed and teaches a political lesson in humility.

PIERCE COUNTY with MOST of the votes counted...The DELEGATES preferences are:

McCain 192

Huckabee 186

Romney 143

Paul 142

Uncommitted 51

THE TOTALS (so far) of those who participated...

1946 people signed in and their preferences were:

Huckabee 609

McCain 571

Romney 304

Paul 303

Uncommitted 167

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