2008 Woodie Awards
Romney cruises past McCain
Clinton wins 55 percent of Democratic voters
By: Maria Spicketts
Issue date: 1/16/08 Section: News
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may have resurrected his presidential campaign Tuesday after winning Michigan's Republican presidential primary.
Romney, a Michigan native, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, each claimed victories despite competition from Arizona Senator John McCain and the "uncommitted" selection on the ballot.
"This throws the Republican race back into a cockhat," said Bill Ballenger, "Inside Michigan Politics" editor and former Central Michigan University Griffin Endowed Chair. "But the way the polls were trending, Romney probably was going to win, depending on the big turnout from Democrats and independents. They didn't break in overwhelming numbers for McCain, and he needed a huge vote."
With 94 percent of precincts reporting, Romney led with 39 percent, with 326,338 votes.
In Isabella County, Arizona Senator John McCain took first with 1,347 votes, about 36 percent. Romney was close behind with 1,283 votes, about 34 percent.
McCain's second-place finish shouldn't harm his campaign, Ballenger said.
"It stops his momentum from New Hampshire, but Romney is the best person he could lose to," he said. "McCain came in a respectable second."
Clinton's victory, however, holds less impact, Ballenger said.
"Hillary Clinton had basically no competition," he said. "The uncommitted folk didn't meet that threshold of being large, but it is pretty large, considering - but it needed to be more than that for her to be embarrassed or to have people sneer (at her campaign.)"
Michigan broke party rules by moving its primaries up, and as a result, lost 30 of the 60 Republican delegates and all of the 156 Democratic delegates.
Consequently, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Illinois Senator Barack Obama and others removed their names from the Michigan ticket.
After four Republican competitions and three Democratic ones, there still is no clear front-runner in either contest.
Romney, a Michigan native, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, each claimed victories despite competition from Arizona Senator John McCain and the "uncommitted" selection on the ballot.
"This throws the Republican race back into a cockhat," said Bill Ballenger, "Inside Michigan Politics" editor and former Central Michigan University Griffin Endowed Chair. "But the way the polls were trending, Romney probably was going to win, depending on the big turnout from Democrats and independents. They didn't break in overwhelming numbers for McCain, and he needed a huge vote."
With 94 percent of precincts reporting, Romney led with 39 percent, with 326,338 votes.
In Isabella County, Arizona Senator John McCain took first with 1,347 votes, about 36 percent. Romney was close behind with 1,283 votes, about 34 percent.
McCain's second-place finish shouldn't harm his campaign, Ballenger said.
"It stops his momentum from New Hampshire, but Romney is the best person he could lose to," he said. "McCain came in a respectable second."
Clinton's victory, however, holds less impact, Ballenger said.
"Hillary Clinton had basically no competition," he said. "The uncommitted folk didn't meet that threshold of being large, but it is pretty large, considering - but it needed to be more than that for her to be embarrassed or to have people sneer (at her campaign.)"
Michigan broke party rules by moving its primaries up, and as a result, lost 30 of the 60 Republican delegates and all of the 156 Democratic delegates.
Consequently, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Illinois Senator Barack Obama and others removed their names from the Michigan ticket.
After four Republican competitions and three Democratic ones, there still is no clear front-runner in either contest.
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