Posted on 02/19/2008 11:09:16 PM PST by Checkers
John McCain's victory in the Washington State Presidential Primary tonight should surprise no one. His thrashing of Mike Huckabee, however, and the latter's poor overall showing, is a fascinating storyline.
McCain's win in another non-Southern state tonight was likewise anti-climatic, though thanks to the meaningful and competitive Democratic primary in Wisconsin there was actually an exit poll conducted for the dissection of political junkies. It showed Mike Huckabee getting pounded among non-Evangelicals, losing to McCain 67% - 24%. Those voters comprised 62% of Wisconsin voters casting GOP ballots. That's a pathetic showing in a two-man race.
Alas, there is no exit poll in Washington, but we can be assured based on the results thus far that Huckabee is getting shelled. As of 9:20 tonight, when most counties had reported their one tally for the evening and after initial tallies from King and Pierce (with more poll votes coming), Huckabee was barely beating Mitt Romney in the statewide vote count, 21.15% to 20.48%, with over 363,000 votes counted. Furthermore, Huckabee was actually running 3rd behind McCain and Romney in fourteen counties.
That's amazing. Romney dropped out of the race twelve days ago and Huckabee is still losing to him in that many locales, including larger counties such as Benton, King, and Spokane. Moreover, Huckabee leads Romney by only small margins in a couple significant suburban counties, Clark (1.55%) and Kitsap (1.25%). Given all that, early absentees alone can't account for Romney's totals. And even considering the fact those margins will probably move in Huckabee's favor with later absentee/mail-in votes it's still a serious embarrassment.
(Excerpt) Read more at soundpolitics.com ...
McCain’s people have to bring the wisdom of the conservative grassroots to him. They are not doing that and McCain has been too long inside Washington to understand the little people. I think of him as a Bill O’Reilly sort. Generally decent views, but out-of-touch and not particularly savvy. What worries me is that he will not make the attempt to become savvy.
zeestephen
Well, be that as it may with you, the vast majority of Romneyites (I was one) will not vote for McAmnesty. What isn’t being reported or even discussed here at FR is what Suckabee’s faithful will do. I believe the majority of them will do as I believe Romneyites will do—vote third party, write in or no vote for President.
Keep dreamin’, skr! McNasty is going down, unless he picks Romney as his running mate. At this point, that looks doubtful.
Huckabee made a mistake by just trying to be the “evangelical candidate”.
faith is very very important. dont get me wrong. But the John F. Kennedy campaign style approach to religion and faith is much more humble and proper !
let faith be the ground where ideas grow. not the umbrella over top of you.
Romney as his running mate. At this point, that looks doubtful
Thank God
I'm fighting the temptation to do the same thing here in Texas on 4 March, except I'd vote for Hillary.
But, I'd have to stand in line with all those Democrats and keep quiet while they talk about "change they can believe in."
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
lev - I have not made a decision about my vote in November, but since 1972 I have always broken down and voted for the GOP nominee. If Huck got the nomination, I would vote for him, but that event seems very unlikely at the moment.
“It showed Mike Huckabee getting pounded....”
Having read thoses words, I will sleep well. ;>)
You're welcome. Last time until Friday though, as I'll be traveling until then.
Thanks to truth49 for the ping.
Say WA? Evergreen State ping
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.
I can’t remember the exact date Romney did drop out, was it about the 7th of February (?) but my county, Benton County, here in WA sent the vote-by-mail ballot to me about 3 weeks ago. It may have been that Romney was still in the race if other counties did the same. Here, we are all mail-in ballots except for one county, I believe.
Romney wasnt my first choice but he is looking better every day compared to McCain or the huckster.
The rest of us, who'd like to live to fight another day - EVERY f'n day, are going to fight the mediocrity and duke it out with whatever asshole from whichever party is screwing up our lives, and let them know that issue by issue, we're going to fight them until they succumb.
Try it sometime - it beats the hell out've pissing in your own shoe, which seems to be all you got right now.
IOW, there may not be much difference between the stain and the Rats on social issues, but have you ever bothered to call your Rat a few dozen times on an issue that really means something to you?
I have, and I will, because I have a need for things to go my way, the balls to make an ass out of myself getting it done, and NO patience for losers who are going to counter my vote by sitting on their f'n hands!
I've been in the process of moving and remodeling, and trying to keep track of a few subjects dear to me.
I have had little time to look up and see what the heck has been going down in the belly of WA??? so greatly appreciate your diligence.
FRegards.....
That's amazing. Romney dropped out of the race twelve days ago and Huckabee is still losing to him in that many locales, including larger counties such as Benton, King, and Spokane. Moreover, Huckabee leads Romney by only small margins in a couple significant suburban counties, Clark (1.55%) and Kitsap (1.25%).
thanks for the ping
I agree with you. In the general election, McCain is a one issue candidate, the war on terror. I believe the economy will be very much on peoples minds come November and no other potential vp candidate brings economic muscle to the table like Mitt Romney. He would also do a lot to shore up conservatives in the base.
Huckabee is becoming a non-story. What political capital he had been acquiring is now slipping away.
There is not a “large Mormon” population in Washington. In fact, other than Utah and one other state, there is not a “large Mormon” population anywhere, unless you define less than 10% of the population as “large”.
Romney got votes because of the large advance mail-in. My guess is a lot of people did vote-by-mail at around the time of the caucus, when the candidates were making their big push in the state. Of course, Romney dropped out right before that, but he hadn’t formally endorsed McCain yet.
One thing that last night shows is that Huckabee was not the right “last man standing” against McCain. Romney would have done better. He might not have won, but he had a chance.
If I was Hillary that’s the message I’d be getting out every day between now and Texas — that the Republicans are deciding the democratic primary. It’s clear there is a large crossover, and it’s clear they are voting against Hillary because they hate her.
She needs to get democrats upset about Republicans “picking their nominee”, so she can stir up fear that we are doing so because we know we can beat Obama (whether that is true or not is secondary to her). She needs to get her prominent friends at the NYTimes to join her to give her credibility in the claim.
I think she whould be easier to beat in November, and also would be a better President than Obama, so I wish she would win the nomination, but poorly, and in a way that ticks off Obama’s supporters.
But I understand a lot of people fear the Clintons so much they want her out now, even if it means 4 years of socialist Barack Obama.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.