fla013008.anal
On the homepage
Vikings
Out There
Pardon Board
Petters
Home | Politically Connected | National Politics | President
Analysis: McCain barrels into Super Tuesday
Print this story
E-mail this story
Save to del.icio.us
Share on Facebook
Share on DiggMore from President
WASHINGTON - John McCain emerged from Florida Tuesday as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, now poised to complete a remarkable comeback just months after being written off as politically dead.
The Arizona senator still faces competition from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and their clash could remain bitter, with Romney ready to write more personal checks to keep the campaign going. A wing of the party that loathes McCain could rally to Romney as the last best chance to stop their maverick nemesis.
But McCain's victory in Florida's primary Tuesday firmly established him as the favorite headed into a 21-state, coast-to-coast showdown on Feb. 5 and to go on to win the party nod.
McCain took the lead for the first time in delegates needed to win the nomination at next summer's Republican National Convention in St. Paul. With all of Florida's 57 delegates, McCain had 93, Romney had 59 and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee had 40.
But McCain's real edge is how he stands headed into the contests this coming Tuesday when more than 1,000 delegates will be awarded, many of them in winner-take-all states. Winning many of those states would put a candidate well on the way to the 1,191 delegates needed to win the nomination.
He can claim the advantage thanks to:
• His strong appeal to security-minded voters;
• His ability to blunt Romney's pitch on pocketbook concerns; they split economy voters;
• A calendar of big states where McCain already has the advantage;
• The defeat of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and likely McCain edge winning over his supporters.
All of it comes just months after McCain appeared to be finished, his second shot at the presidency slipping from his grasp. His support in polls dropped, his fundraising was abysmal, and he had to lay off much of his campaign staff.
But he came back, thanks in large part to the apparent military success of the commitment of additional troops to Iraq, something he had pushed at political risk when the Bush administration and Republican boosters on talk radio worked hard to stifle such dissent.
Romney tried to take advantage of the rising concerns about the economy, pitching his background as a business executive and reminding voters that McCain more than once has told reporters he doesn't understand the economy as well as he does foreign policy.
McCain played hard to security-minded voters, his strength. But he also stressed his newfound commitment to the Bush tax cuts (he opposed them in Congress) and to curbing spending as his answer to economic woes.
The economy dominated the Florida vote -- named by four out of 10 as their top concern in exit polls -- and economy voters split almost evenly between McCain and Romney.
McCain already leads in several delegate-rich states, including his home state of Arizona, California, and Illinois. The Florida win could boost those leads.
He's also well ahead of Romney in the Northeast states of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.
McCain could pick up the bigger share of Giuliani voters, which would give him a further boost in the Northeast.
Recent President stories
Obama proposes adding seats to Consumer Product Safety Commission, nominates new chairman - January 29, 2008
Obama proposes adding seats to Consumer Product Safety Commission, nominates new chairman - President Barack Obama is turning to South Carolina's former school superintendent to head an expanded Consumer Product Safety Commission, an embattled agency that has been criticized by advocates for being too cozy with industry. More
The Whistleblower blog has moved
The Star Tribune is still blowing the whistle, but our look and location have changed. Click here to get to the new blog. If you want the actual URL, it’s www.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower.html. Our blog posts will now be easier to search on the web site, but you’ll need to register to post a comment. In the [...]
Recent posts
 Find Your Next HomeSearch realtor represented & for sale by owner homes in the Twin Cities. Plus, find open house listings. |
Win tickets to see Brett Dennen at Pantages Theatre.Vita.mn presents Brett Dennen with Grace Potter and The Nocturnals at Pantages Theatre on Nov. 27. |
Comment on this story | Be the first to comment | Hide reader comments