Has South Carolina Once Again Picked It's Party's Nominee? I Think So.
At long last, it's over. After the year of working on campaigns, watching the candidates speak here and at the debates, South carolina has fianlly made it's choice. In a tight battle, Sen. John McCain has beaten Gov. Mike Huckabee by three points, with Fred Thompson a distant third....
Although the race is far from over, McCain has tightened his reins on the nomination. Sure, Mitt Romney won Nevada, but like Iowa, caucuses are a big pile of crap. Primaries are what matter, and McCain has taken two straight now. Huckabee didn't get a total kill among evangelicals like he needed, and the road will get harder for him after this. Romney is still alive, but he needs to win a non-caucus in a state that he wasn't born in.
With 16% of the vote, Fred Thompson had his best showing, but it wasn't even close to what he needed to gain momentum in the race. I guess he'll stay in through Florida, but the cause is becoming a difficult one. As a Rudy Giuliani supporter I am officially concerned. He got barely more votes than I got in the 2004 Primary in the 6th District alone. Time will tell on how he does, but he may have become the guinea pig for how to NOT run a Presidential campaign. Florida is make or break for him, but the red warning lights are officially on.....
Like every election since 1980, it appears that South Carolina did today like it always does - pick the man with the best chance of winning. Despite it's disagreement with McCain on Immigration, the Bush Tax Cuts, and his working with Democrats, SC's voters see McCain very well as the GOP's best shot at beating Hillary or Obama in November. I think we'll still see a six horse race into Super Tuesday, but it may be seriously clarified after then. Either McCain runs away with the race, Giuliani finally kicks in, or Romney finds the traction he hasn't found to win a Primary.....
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5 comments:
I had been a Rudy supporter for about 10 months and this week I decided to vote for someone that wanted my vote in SC, Fred Thompson. I'm proud of my vote and now it is time for Fred to get out.
Rudy is done, he will not win FL so he doesn't have a chance to win the nomination.
Congrads Sen. McCain, you wouldn't have been my first choice and I disagree with you on some major issues, but you will make a good president. I'm not sure you can say that for Huckabee or Romney.
I voted for Huckabee and now I am going to vote for obama! anybody but mccain. I was on McCain's payroll 8 years ago and he is not the same guy he was in 2000. I just cannot follow him into the woods.
I think Florida will end it for Huckabee and Thompson. Both their campaigns are weeks past their primes, and their baseline numbers, without a win, have been sliding. Those numbers will continue to do so.
As proof of this, look at Thompson. He spent spent all his time and money in SC for the last two weeks, and still finished 10-15 points behind where he started out in SC.
South Carolina voters may have picked the eventual GOP nominee, but let's face it, this race had little impact on the overall course of the campaign. Nobody turned a corner and nobody was forced out. The same number of candidates who are in the race now are the same (not counting Hunter, who never really counted) two and four weeks ago.
The only thing we can be at least as certain of as we were before South Carolina is uncertainty itself.
If this is Erection 2008, it is certainly one you want to keep hidden and out of public sight.
I'm not sure how you go from Huckabee to Obama, but I guess you're not the only one. If Hillary is the nominee, will you vote for her over McCain?
Earl, from some reports, the field will shrink a bit. Hunter is out, and Thompson's going back to TN to see his sick Mom and make some decisions..
The only campaign that seemed to have jacked up voters was Ron Paul - the rest had hardly any signs, even at the polling locations. Just not a lot of excitement this time around.
Not being a big McCain supporter and as I voted for Rudy I will still support whoever we nominate. McCain I believe will win the nomination but whether he can win it all is left to see. Obama will not get the top of the ticket count on Hillary for that. I just wish McCain was from a different area of the country as to match of a VP with him will be hard.
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