5 of 16

Write now Article Tools

John McCain was a winner on Super Tuesday. He won the states that he needed to win his party's nomination. It now appears that Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney can battle for second place. The other winner for the Republicans was undoubtedly Mike Huckabee. His success in the south gives him the momentum to continue. Though he doesn't have the money of Mitt Romney or the delegates of John McCain, he's already done much better than many people expected. After his disappointing finish in South Carolina, many analysts thought he was dead, but Super Tuesday breathed life back into his campaign. If he manages to finish second to John McCain, maybe he has a chance of becoming John McCain's running mate.

On the Democratic side, the race is very close. Hillary Clinton won the states which she was expected to win but not by wide margins. Missouri, a state which usually votes for the person who becomes president, appears to have narrowly elected Barack Obama. If history is a precedent, this may not be a good sign for Hillary Clinton. John Edwards has not endorsed any candidate, a sign that he may not have a clear preference or that he wants his delegates to be free to make up their own minds.

Simply because the race is so competitive and he now has a lot of momentum, it may be that Barack Obama was more of a winner on Super Tuesday than Hillary Clinton. Actually, it's all a matter of perspective. Hillary Clinton was a winner because she won in a number of very important states. On the other hand, Barack Obama was a winner because he also won a number of important states and signalled that the race is going to be a long one.

Some analysts will claim that Hillary Clinton was a big winner in Massachusetts. She won there despite Barack Obama's endorsements by Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and the state's governor Deval Patrick. Her win there, though, isn't such a surprise. She's very popular in the northeast and so is her husband, former president Bill Clinton. Also, Massachusetts lacks the large African-American vote of states such as South Carolina and Georgia which give Barack Obama a big advantage.

In states such as California, Arizona and New Mexico, Hillary Clinton can rely on her popularity with Hispanic voters. Barack Obama has surged in recent polls, but Hillary Clinton's success with this group of voters may be difficult to combat. Barack Obama, though, must be pleased that he seems to do well with young voters. A key to his campaign is to get them to vote for him in sufficiently big numbers.

The big loser from Super Tuesday was Mitt Romney. He failed to win the southern states which he needed to take momentum away from John McCain. Not only did he fail to knock Mike Huckabee out of the race but he also failed to solidify his position as the conservative candidate to take on John McCain. The inclusion of both Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney in the race splits the conservative vote, but it is no longer clear who is the conservative candidate that voters prefer to John McCain. The fact that they are both still in the race must be to the delight of John McCain. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama can both claim to be winners from Super Tuesday. They both won the states they needed to win and gave the impression that they believe they'll win their party's nomination. Without question, Hillary Clinton is in a much closer race than she could have ever predicted. The big question among the Republicans is who will finish second to John McCain. As for the Democrats, they must wonder not only who will win their party's nomination but when it will be decided. The two Democrats remaining, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, can both claim they were winners on Super Tuesday.

Learn more about this author, Les Zsoldos.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about US elections 2008: Super Tuesday winners and losers?
We want to hear your view. Write now!