Florida Governor
Charlie Crist (R) introduces Republican presidential candidate US
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) during a rally at the convention center
of Tampa, Florida January 28, 2008.
The US Republican presidential primary in Florida ended on
Tuesday with Arizona Senator John McCain scoring victory, which
left him with a more promising prospect in the full-scale race on
"Super Tuesday" next week.
McCain garnered 36 percent of the votes against 31 percent by
former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, with all the precincts'
ballots having been calculated.
"It shows one thing. I'm the conservative leader who can unite
the party," McCain told his supporters Tuesday night. "It's a very
significant boost, but I think we've got a tough week ahead and a
lot of states to come."
The victory does not only mean 57 national convention delegates
are for McCain, but a significant boost as well to his momentum
ahead of February 5, the decisive date when a total 22 states will
elect their party's presidential candidates.
Romney, who has put millions of his personal wealth into his
campaign in Florida, said he would remain as a player in the race.
With three states in his pocket, he has lost the two key states of
South Carolina and Florida to Republican contenders.
"At a time like this, America needs a president in the White
House who has actually had a job in the real economy," he told
supporters.
The longest-term player in Florida's primary, former New York
Mayor Rudy Guiliani was left far behind in third place with 15
percent of the votes, fueling speculation on whether he would stay
in the race or endorse his close friend McCain.
Driven by a "big-state strategy", Giuliani concentrated his
campaign fund and time on Florida's primary, whose rule is
"winner-take-all," and almost skipped other states that held
earlier primaries and caucuses.
However, the once leading candidate in the national poll could
hardly make it to the top two Tuesday night, virtually indicating
his strategy has failed.
CNN reports said Giuliani's campaign has met with McCain's team
in private, and the former would probably announce his decision to
drop out of the race to endorse the latter.
The Iowa Republican winner, former Arkansas governor Mike
Huckabee who could hardly restore his lead in the following races,
ranked fourth on 14 percent in Florida, leaving him with a dim
prospect on February 5.
Like their counterparts across the states that have held
primaries or caucuses, most Florida Republican voters said that the
economy was their main concern when they decide on candidates,
according to the CNN exit polls.
Compared to 47 percent of voters caring more about the economy,
19 percent listed terrorism as their top concern, 17 percent cited
illegal immigration and 13 percent said their biggest headache was
the Iraq war.
Florida has long played a key role in the general election for
Republicans. No Republican candidate has won the White House
without Florida since 1924.
(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2008)
