Super Tuesday Results

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GEORGIA Barack Obama has won the Democratic primary in Georgia.

WEST VIRGINIA Mike Huckabee has won the Republican caucuses in West Virginia.

Updated at 8:07pm Pacific Time - Delegates gained so far on Super Tuesday (results updated as they are announced):

McCain: 271
Romney: 41
Huckabee: 25
Clinton: 58
Obama: 56

Romney accuses McCain of "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney angrily accused his rival John McCain on Wednesday of "dirty tricks" for say"

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney angrily accused his rival John McCain on Wednesday of "dirty tricks" for saying he had backed a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

"It's offensive to me that someone would suggest that I have," Romney said.

Simmering tensions from the campaign for Florida, where McCain outdueled Romney to win the state's Republican nomination contest on Tuesday and solidify his front-runner status, spilled over into a crucial debate in California.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor now fighting for his political life with more than 20 states to hold their nominating votes on "Super Tuesday" next week, accused McCain of lying about his Iraq record.

Those races could well determine the Republican Party's choice for the November 4 election against a Democratic candidate to succeed President George W. Bush.

Gone from the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who quit the race after a dismal finish in Florida and endorsed McCain.

Romney's job was to try to stop the momentum of McCain, who leads opinion polls in some of the key "Super Tuesday" prizes -- California, New York and New Jersey. But Romney looked frustrated and defensive at times and it was unclear how much headway he had made.

Romney accused McCain of holding liberal positions out of step with mainstream Republicans. In response, McCain said Romney raised taxes as governor of Massachusetts and suggested he had changed his position on important issues.

Romney said he "absolutely, unequivocally" had never supported setting a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq -- a proposition that was a live item for debate a year ago before a U.S. troop build-up began to stabilize parts of the country.

"And by the way, raising it a few days before the Florida primary, when there was very little time for me to correct the record ... falls into the kind of dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would've found reprehensible," a tense Romney said, with McCain sitting at his side.

OTHER REPUBLICANS COMPLAIN

McCain, an Arizona senator who backed the Iraq build-up even though it was unpopular, said Romney was asked last year whether the troop "surge" was a good idea and had said: "We don't want them to lay in the weeds until we leave..."

McCain said he took that to mean Romney backed a timetable for a pullout, prompting an angry denial.

"How is it you are the expert on my position when my position has been very clear?" Romney demanded, saying McCain had multiple chances to bring the issue up during the campaign but had done it only to try to damage him in Florida.

The exchange was so heated at the CNN/Los Angeles Times/Politico debate that the other Republican contenders, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, complained.

Paul said McCain and Romney were engaged in "silly arguments about who said what, when."

Romney said McCain's record on illegal immigration, global warming and tax cuts put him "outside the mainstream of American conservative thought."

Romney also poked at McCain for his endorsement last week by The New York Times.

"Let me note if you get endorsed by The New York Times you're probably not a conservative," Romney said.

McCain, who won the contests in South Carolina and New Hampshire before taking Florida, shot back that he had been endorsed by two of Romney's hometown newspapers in Boston and said Romney had his own liberal tendencies.

"I heard Gov. Romney describe his record, as I understand it his record was he raised taxes by $730 million -- he called them fees. I'm sure the people that had to pay it, whether they called them bananas, they still had to pay $730 million extra," McCain said.

"I'm proud of my conservative record. It's one of reaching across the aisle to get things done."

Gov. Schwarzenegger to endorse McCain

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will endorse John McCain on Thursday, giving a boost to the Republican presidential front-runner six days before California's high-prize primary.

The two will appear at a news conference after touring a Los Angeles-based solar energy company and the governor will make his endorsement official, his senior aides confirmed.

Schwarzenegger's endorsement of McCain is yet another setback for Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who saw Florida slip from his grasp Tuesday after McCain rolled up the support of that state's two top elected Republicans, Gov. Charlie Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez.

His strategy in tatters, Romney plans to offer himself as the conservative alternative to McCain as he pushes ahead in hopes of winning enough delegates to topple the Arizona senator when 21 states vote in the Republican contest on Tuesday.

Schwarzenegger's move comes as McCain plows toward the nomination, the only Republican candidate to have won three hotly contested primaries — New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida — since voting began earlier this month.

"Governor Schwarzenegger is an exceptional governor and we are honored that he has decided to endorse Senator McCain, and look forward to the event tomorrow," said Steve Schmidt, a senior McCain adviser who managed Schwarzenegger's 2006 campaign.

Schwarzenegger sat in the audience here Wednesday as McCain and Romney shared a debate stage with rivals Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

McCain, the four-term senator, is running strongly ahead of all three rivals in California, which offers a whopping 170 delegates to the Republican nominating convention. Candidates secure three delegates for each of the state's 53 congressional districts they win in the primary, in which only Republicans can vote.

The ultimate effect of Schwarzenegger's endorsement is unclear. The celebrity governor and former actor is universally known in the state, and his political network certainly will be helpful to McCain, who has virtually no organized effort in California after his candidacy nearly collapsed last summer. The actor-turned-governor also is a prolific fundraiser.

But Schwarzenegger has a strained relationship with some conservatives in his own party and McCain, himself, is fighting to convince GOP rank-and-file that he's committed to conservative values. Schwarzenegger's nod could exacerbate concerns about McCain among the party establishment.

Schwarzenegger also is taking heat from state Republicans who argue he's been too willing to bend to the wishes of the Democratic-controlled Legislature. At the same time, California faces a $14.5 billion budget deficit over the next year-and-half, and the governor has rankled the state's powerful education lobby with his proposal to cut spending by 10 percent from state agencies to deal with the financial crisis.

McCain and Schwarzenegger have been friends for years, and the two share a bond over their work on global warming issues as well as their similar independent streaks. Aides say Schwarzenegger long has respected McCain's push to eliminate wasteful spending in Washington, protect the environment and fix a broken immigration system.

The governor offered high praise of McCain throughout the campaign, calling him a "great senator" and "very good friend," and the two appeared together at the Port of Los Angeles last year. "We share common philosophy and goals for this country," McCain said at the time.

But Schwarzenegger always has stopped short of endorsing McCain, given that another friend, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, also was in the race.

Earlier this month, Schwarzenegger told reporters he would not make an endorsement in the GOP primary, saying then: "It doesn't help me, and it doesn't help the state of California." But senior advisers say Giuliani's departure from the race Wednesday changed the dynamics of the decision for Schwarzenegger, and he decided to go ahead with the endorsement as it was clear that Giuliani's candidacy was over.

McCain, Romney seek command on Feb. 5

John McCain and Mitt Romney are trying to take command of the long and antagonistic Republican presidential race, and the sheer size of next Tuesday's delegate haul could finally make that possible.

Of the 1,191 national convention delegates needed to secure the nomination, 1,023 are up for grabs in 21 GOP contests — a virtual national primary for the party.

Both McCain and Romney made a beeline to California after McCain won in Florida, reflecting the importance of Super Tuesday's biggest prize. California awards 170 convention delegates, followed by New York, Georgia, Missouri, Illinois and New Jersey.

The chaotic GOP campaign has come full circle. McCain and Romney were front-runners a year ago, then McCain's effort seemed to collapse, and other candidates took their turns at the top of polls. But Rudy Giuliani's gone now, and Mike Huckabee has been running far behind the leaders.

A Vietnam veteran and four-term senator, McCain has history on his side: The GOP typically nominates the next guy in line. A loser in 2000, the Arizona senator fits that bill. He also attracts voters from across the ideological spectrum. His age, 71, and his independent streak could be hurdles.

Romney's personal wealth gives him an advantage; the former Massachusetts governor has dumped $40 million into his campaign. He's also a fresh face pushing an outsider's message of fixing Washington. But he's fighting criticism that he changes position on issues. He would be the country's first Mormon president.

Here's a look at Tuesday's big prizes:

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CALIFORNIA (170 delegates)

McCain runs strongly ahead, and is set to pick up the endorsement of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Only registered Republicans can vote in the primary. That could benefit Romney and hurt McCain, who draws his support more widely.

The state party will distribute delegates based on the winner in each congressional district, meaning 53 separate contests each offering three delegates. Thus, the candidates are targeting time and money carefully to the districts they think they have the best chance to win.

McCain could have an advantage in urban areas and California's coastal counties that tend to lean toward the left. The former Vietnam prisoner of war also should find support in the south around military-focused San Diego. Romney may perform well among the more conservative inland counties.

Romney has more campaign organization here, and money. But Giuliani's backing could help McCain overcome that. The former New York mayor has a campaign organization here.

The effect of Schwarzenegger's endorsement is unclear; the celebrity governor has a political network that certainly will be helpful in the campaign but his popularity is not at a high point given state budget turmoil.

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NEW YORK (101 delegates)

With Giuliani bowing out, New York is McCain's to lose — a lot of delegates and winner-take all.

It's also the country's most expensive media market, so it may make sense for Romney to put his resources elsewhere in an effort to cobble together wins in smaller caucus states.

Giuliani's support — and withdrawal — will significantly benefit McCain, who recently overtook the ex-mayor in New York polling.

McCain's national security experience — and resolve to win wars in Iraq and against terrorism — will play well in the state of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He runs strongest in the conservative upstate region around Rochester and Syracuse.

That's the region where most Republican primary votes are concentrated; New York City accounts for only 500,000 of the state's roughly 3 million registered Republicans.

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GEORGIA (72 delegates)

Huckabee leads.

The former Baptist preacher and Southern governor is limping along, short on cash and victories. But he views Georgia as the perfect state for him to make a comeback — or at least cause waves in the race.

He rallied fellow evangelical Christians in Iowa to win and hopes to do so again here. For him, it seems, the race has become less about winning the nomination and more about solidifying himself as a fresh-faced leader.

The state awards delegates by congressional district; thus, Romney — who has the endorsements of three congressmen — may try to pick off districts that could be easiest to win.

McCain won't ignore the state, but it's not a priority.

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MISSOURI (58 delegates)

It's a toss-up between McCain, Romney and Huckabee.

All three plan stops in the state or already have visited in recent weeks; the attention underscores the prize, again winner-take-all.

Huckabee hopes his ties to the religious right give him a boost. Romney has Midwestern ties and the support of Gov. Matt Blunt — and access to Blunt's political organization.

The state, very conservative in Republican primaries, is not a natural fit for McCain. But he may benefit from Huckabee competing in the state. Huckabee and Romney could split the vote on the right, making way for McCain to rack up another win.

It's also possible for McCain to benefit at least a little from Giuliani's support in Missouri, where the former mayor had the backing of longtime Sen. Kit Bond. Yet there is no love lost between Bond, an appropriator, and McCain, the pork buster.

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ILLINOIS (57 delegates)
The state is up for grabs.

McCain has an edge in recent polls, but Romney has some semblance of a campaign to build upon. Romney's Midwestern roots — he was born and raised in Michigan — could help him.

Both plan to spend time in Illinois in the coming days, primarily to raise money in Chicago.

The Chicago suburbs and the city itself may be more amenable to McCain, while the rural, more conservative southern swath of the state could lean toward Romney. Huckabee could peel votes away from him should Christian evangelicals in the south turn out.

Delegates are won congressional district by congressional district.

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NEW JERSEY (52 delegates)

Advantage, McCain.

In many ways, this winner-take-all state is much like neighboring New York. Giuliani held an enormous lead in New Jersey for a year before McCain recently overtook him in polls.

New Jersey is home to huge numbers of moderate Republicans, and that bodes well for McCain, as does its focus on issues like port security and defense.

As in New York, Romney must weigh whether competing here is worth it. Campaigning in New Jersey typically doesn't result in much of a return on a candidate's investment. Philadelphia and New York are the two media markets that cover the state, making TV ads extraordinarily expensive to run. At the same time, it's hard for candidates to break through the cluttered news environment to earn free media exposure.

McCain has the backing of former Gov. Thomas Kean, while Romney has the support of State Sen. Joe Kyrillos, the former chairman of New Jersey's Republican state committee.

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BEST OF THE REST

Of the 15 other states that will vote, three are home states that each candidate is all but certain to win — Arizona for McCain, Massachusetts for Romney and Arkansas for Huckabee.

Utah is essentially a second home for Romney; its large Mormon population is likely to give him a win. He also will look to win in states that hold caucuses — Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota — and one that holds a state convention, West Virginia.

McCain could do well in Western states of Oklahoma and New Mexico, as well as moderate Northeastern states like Connecticut and Delaware. Huckabee will look to a Southern swath of conservative bastions like Tennessee to validate his weakened candidacy.

Montana is a wild card.

Key Republican presidential contest opens in Florida

Florida voted in its key Republican presidential nominating contest Tuesday, with top contenders John McCain and Mitt Romney tightly matched and ex-New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani's campaign hanging in the balance.

Polls opened at 7:00 am (1200 GMT) in the primary election, in which Florida will provide 57 delegates -- the highest number to date -- to the September convention that will pick the party's presidential candidate.

It will also give the winner strong momentum ahead of next week's "Super Tuesday" when voting will be held in 22 states.

With Giuliani and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee sidelined in opinion polls, McCain and Romney hit out at each other ahead of the primary on the economy and the Iraq war, two major issues for voters.

Senator Hillary Clinton was the clear favorite here ahead of a Democratic primary that could give her a symbolic boost -- but little else, since the national party stripped Florida of delegates after the state broke the rules by changing the date of its vote.

But she suffered a stinging blow on Monday as her rival Barack Obama won the endorsement of influential Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, the last surviving brother of assassinated president John F. Kennedy.

Under an agreement with their party, the Democratic candidates stayed away from Florida, but the Republican contenders were out in force.

A Zogby poll on Monday put McCain's support at 33 percent and Romney's at 30 percent. Giuliani, who largely ignored voting in other states to stake his campaign on Florida, had 13 percent, two points ahead of Huckabee.

Romney, a venture capitalist with a reputation for turning around ailing companies, touted his economic credentials and pointed to what he called McCain's "lack of understanding of our economy."

"I frankly can't imagine how you can have a president of the United States who doesn't understand the economy," Romney told reporters.

McCain's camp shot back, accusing the former governor of flip-flopping on just about every major issue.

He also reiterated the claim his rival had sought a timetable for a withdrawal from Iraq, something Romney denies.

"If we had done what Governor Romney suggested, Al-Qaeda would be celebrating a great victory today," McCain, who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, told the Fox News network.

He said he was confident of support from conservative Republicans due to his tough stance on fighting extremists, despite Romney branding him as too liberal on social issues such as immigration.

"I'm confident that we are going to do well tomorrow," he said told CNN news Monday. "Although I think it will be close."

McCain got a big lift over the past days with endorsements from Florida's highly popular Governor Charlie Crist and Senator Mel Martinez, who has strong clout among the large Cuban-American community.

Around a million Florida voters had already cast early and absentee ballots.

On the Democratic side, a Florida victory would give Clinton a badly needed boost after Obama, a senator from Illinois, trounced her in South Carolina on Saturday.

The former first lady insisted on Sunday the Democratic vote will not be ignored -- even though the national party said it won't count in Florida.

The New York senator has said she wanted the delegations from Florida and Michigan -- which was punished in a similar way -- to be seated at the convention that will nominate the Democratic candidate.

The southeastern state was the decider in the 2000 election, in which George W. Bush was handed victory after five weeks of chaos, recounts and legal battles.

The move clashed with national party rules in both camps. The Republicans also punished Florida, stripping the state of half its 114 delegates to the national convention.