With 21 percent of the vote in Washington State's Saturday
Republican Presidential Caucus, Ron Paul enjoyed his best showing
yet. In fact, the declared winner - John McCain - walked off
with 26 percent. Huckabee had 24 percent to make Paul's third
place finish only within 5 percentage points of the winner.
The real winner in the Washington State Caucus was actually
"Uncommitted" with 30 percent of the vote total. Many
Ron Paul supporters were said to have voted under "Uncommitted"
in order to gain more delegates.
Washington State's poker playing community came out en masse
to vote for Ron Paul, who supports legalized online poker and
sports betting. Washington residents were deprived of betting
on last weekend's Super Bowl as the current state administration
passed a law that makes betting online a Class C felony equivalent
to that of a child molester. It is the only state in the U.S.
to make placing a bet on the Web a criminal offense.
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Saturday's Caucuses and Primaries demonstrated what a precarious
situation the Republican party is in. Jonathan Martin of Politico.com
It won't impact his path to the nomination, but John McCain
got a reminder Saturday of the work he has to do with his party
base.
Despite his inevitability, McCain lost two of the first three
GOP contests to take place since the departure this week of
Mitt Romney.
MIke Huckabee blew him away in the Kansas caucuses and edged
him out in the Louisiana primary. In Washington, which held
caucuses, McCain bested Huckabee by 2 percentage points.
Many conservatives have vowed not to support McCain for the
GOP. Others have even said they would vote for Hillary Clinton
or not vote at all. In the end, the party line appears to be
swaying more towards a vote for McCain verses perhaps "the
worst of two evils" in their minds - Hillary.
President George W. Bush said Republican presidential front-runner
John McCain is a ``true conservative'' and vowed to help him
gain the support of skeptics if he wins the nomination.
``If John's the nominee, he's got some convincing to do'' among
conservative Republicans, Bush said on today's ``Fox News Sunday.''
He added, ``I'd be glad to help him if he's the nominee -- he
is very strong on national defense, he is tough fiscally, he
is pro-life. His principles are sound and solid.''
Mike Hucabee, meanwhile, is far from an after thought in this
political race, winning both the Louisiana Caucus and Kansas
Primary.
“I think we have a shot at Virginia. I think we have
a shot at Maryland… I think we have a shot at everywhere
we go,’’ Huckabee said Sunday. “To step aside
and have a coronation instead of a nomination, that’s
the antithesis of everything Republicans stand for,’’
Huckabee said on NBC News’ Meet the Press. “Miracles
are still happening,’’ the ordained Baptist minister
said. “I still believe in them.’’