McCain Wins Florida Primary, Giuliani Endorsement Possible

U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona has defeated former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to win the Florida Republican presidential primary election. McCain’s victory Tuesday cements his position as the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination before next week’s multi-state set of primaries known as Super Tuesday.

With more than three-quarters of the votes counted, McCain leads Romney 36 percent to 31 percent, to pick up all 57 delegates from Florida to the Republican nominating convention.

In a victory speech, McCain thanked his rivals, and said more work needs to be done.

Media reports say former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who came in third after staking much of his campaign on Florida, will drop out of the race Wednesday, and will endorse McCain.

Giuliani is just ahead of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

In a speech to supporters, Huckabee said he was not discouraged by the Florida results, and would remain in the race.
On the Democratic side, New York Senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton handily won her party’s contest over Illinois Senator Barack Obama. But the results are not expected to mean much, because the Democratic Party stripped Florida of its delegates as a penalty for moving up its primary election.

Clinton, speaking to her supporters in Florida, pledged to work to legitimize the state’s delegates.

Obama won the South Carolina Democratic primary last Saturday, with Clinton finishing a distant second.

Florida is considered a critical test ahead of February 5 - known as “Super Tuesday” - when more than 20 states hold primaries or caucuses for Republicans and Democrats who want to be on the ballot in November’s presidential election.

by VOA News

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