Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Obama, McCain take command
Democrats Obama and Clinton split many areas in Southwest Virginia.
Associated Press photos
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain won their parties' presidential primaries in Virginia.
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Sen. Barack Obama swept presidential primaries in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland on Tuesday, building on his recent momentum and eclipsing his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton in the hunt for delegates. Sen. John McCain further strengthened his hold on the Republican nomination by winning both states and the district.
"Tonight we're on our way," Obama told cheering supporters in Madison, Wis. "But we know how much further we have to go on," he added, celebrating eight straight victories over Clinton, the former first lady now struggling in a race she once commanded
Obama won half of the white vote in Virginia, the highest percentage of any Southern state so far. He overpowered Clinton in the state's suburban, affluent and university communities and areas with strong black voting populations, but he was also winning in many lower-income, working class and rural areas where Clinton had expected to do well.
On the Republican side, McCain, the presumptive nominee, emerged victorious from a tight race in Virginia against former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee led in the more conservative areas in the Shenandoah Valley and in Southwest Virginia. McCain also won in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
McCain won on the strength of the vote in cities, in suburban Northern Virginia and in most of Hampton Roads, home to the largest U.S. Navy base.
In addressing supporters in Alexandria, McCain spoke as if he had won the nomination, targeting Obama's oratorical magic.
"To encourage a country with only rhetoric rather than sound and proven ideas that trust in the strength and courage of free people is not promise of hope, it's a platitude," he said.
But the GOP race in Virginia was largely an afterthought, drawing only half as many voters as the Democratic primary, an oddity in a state that has trended Republican in presidential elections for more than four decades.
Turnout was significantly higher than usual for a presidential primary, hovering between 25 percent and 30 percent regionally and statewide.
With roughly 99 percent of precincts reporting, Obama was winning with 64 percent of the vote in Virginia. He won 75 percent in Washington, D.C. and 62 percent in early Maryland returns.
Obama won Roanoke with 57 percent, Montgomery County with 55 percent, Henry County with 60 percent, Floyd County with 49 percent and Radford with 57 percent.
Clinton fared well in other parts of the region, however, winning the 9th Congressional District overall. She received 55 percent of the vote in Roanoke County, 54 percent in Franklin County, 57 percent in Botetourt County, 54 percent in Bedford County, 61 percent in Pulaski County and 56 percent in Salem.
Democrats assign delegates proportionally based on outcomes statewide and by congressional districts.
About 40 Obama supporters gathered at The Venue, a Roanoke restaurant, to watch the election returns.
Bert Boyd said he was pleasantly surprised by Obama's margin of victory.
"I think Virginians are common-sense, reasonable-thinking people," he said. "I think we're putting old biases behind us and becoming a more progressive state."
Volunteers came to Roanoke from other states to help campaign, he said.
John Johnson, another Obama supporter, said it was "a good feeling" to see his preferred candidate win Virginia.
At Corned Beef & Co. in Roanoke, about a half-dozen Clinton supporters were watching the returns as well.
"We did our part down here," said Melanie Morris, noting that "almost all of Southwest Virginia went Clinton."
Throughout the cold and dreary day, Southwest Virginia voters lined up at the polls, a few of which had been moved because of power outages.
"I don't care how long I have to wait, I'm voting," said Toni Motley, as she stood in a line that stretched next to a fire engine at Fire-EMS Station 9 on 24th Street in Northwest Roanoke. She wore an Obama button.
"He's awesome," she said of her candidate. "He's an excellent speaker. I know he's the right one."
As she got closer to the booths, an alarm sounded and three firefighters slid down a pole, jumped into the truck and tore off, sirens wailing, leaving the faint smell of exhaust behind them. The voters moved aside but kept their places in line.
Earlier in the day, at the Mason Cove Fire Department in Roanoke County, Eloise Ferguson said she was voting for Clinton, whom she called "my girl."
"I think she's the best qualified," she said. "It took a Clinton to straighten up what the other Bush left, didn't it?"
A few minutes later, Richard and Ellen Caldwell left the firehouse after casting their votes for Huckabee.
"I'm a conservative, and I just don't want higher taxes," Richard Caldwell said. "I think Huckabee is a lot more conservative than McCain is, although I imagine McCain will probably win."
Del Lane, who voted at the Christiansburg library, said he supported McCain.
"He stands for our principles, and he'll continue to fight in Iraq until we win," he said.
Clinton hopes to respond with victories in Texas and Ohio on March 4, states where both candidates have already begun television advertising.
With Clinton facing a series of possible defeats, and Obama riding a wave of momentum, the two camps debated which contender is more likely to defeat McCain in the general election.
An Associated Press-Ipsos poll found Obama with a narrow lead over the Arizona senator in a potential match-up, and Clinton running about even.
Staff writers Laurence Hammack and Lindsay Key, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
