A Quick Win in Michigan

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jan 16, 2008 3:37PM

Michigan defied the conventional wisdom yesterday, giving Mitt Romney 30 delegates to the national convention and his second primary win.

After a short night that saw swift winner projections and prompt concession speeches, analysis turned to exit polls and voter turnout. Without much incentive to turnout and vote, Democrats handed Hillary Clinton a hollow victory, giving her about two-thirds of the vote and zero convention delegates. Dennis Kucinich earned about 4 percent of the vote, and nearly a third of the vote went to "uncommitted", a strategy designed to give Michigan delegates a voice at the convention should the party decide to let them vote. According to CNN's exit polling, Michigan Democrats preferred John McCain to Mitt Romney, capturing 41 percent of the vote among the seven percent of the Democrats who crossed over in the Republican primary.

Exit polls also showed that among Republicans economics was the driving issue in how they voted, saying that that issue was more important than Iraq, immigration, or terrorism.

As the primaries roll on, Republican candidates are now focused on South Carolina, where 24 delegates are up for grabs, and Mike Huckabee is polling well. With Romney heading to the Nevada caucuses with nearly a ten-point blowout in Michigan, 34 delegates up for grabs, and a tight race with Rudy Giuliani there, the Republican nomination is far from decided.

Image via The Impious Digest