McCain leads GOP, Dems. split states

This year’s Super Tuesday boasted the largest number of primaries and caucuses in history, as many states scheduled earlier primaries to increase their impact on the nominations. In what is often termed at semi-national primary, 1,688 Democratic delegates and 1,068 Republican candidates were up for grabs.

GOP sees distinct frontrunner

McCain had picked up significant momentum heading into yesterday’s contests, having already won the most delegates in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida. The senator carried the Sunshine State by five points over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney last week. McCain likewise carried his home state of Arizona and the tri-state area as well as Illinois, Delaware, Missouri and Oklahoma.

McCain overwhelmingly took New Jersey with 55 percent of the vote to Romney’s 28 percent, with 98 percent of the precincts reporting. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani took 3 percent of the vote despite having dropped out of the race after a disappointing showing in Florida last week.

McCain’s largest prize of the night was California with its 173 delegates. CNN projected the senator to win the state with only 15 percent of precincts reporting.

Romney had a disappointing showing last night, winning only five states. The Michigan native carried Massachusetts, the state in which he served as governor, as well as Utah, the majority of whose population shares his Mormon faith. Romney also took North Dakota, Montana and Minnesota.

An official in Romney’s campaign told NBC News that Tuesday’s results may lead to a serious consideration of the governor’s candidacy.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the first victor of the night. Huckabee had a strong showing in the South, carrying Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee as well as his home state of Arkansas. Political analysts have widely speculated that Huckabee’s strong showing could lead to his place on a ticket with McCain.

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Huckabee defeated Romney in the West Virginia GOP convention on the second ballot after the McCain campaign withdrew the senator’s name and instructed supporters to vote for Huckabee to prevent a Romney victory while polls were open throughout the country.

At press time, Alaska had not declared a Republican winner.

Democratic contest neck-and-neck

While a frontrunner has emerged in the Republican Party, the Democratic race remains close, and the distribution of delegates is still unknown. Obama began the night with a decisive win in Georgia and went on to carry Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Utah, as well as his home state of Illinois.

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Though Clinton won fewer states, her wins were in delegate-rich states. CNN projected the prize state of California as a win for Clinton with 15 percent of the precincts reporting.

Likewise, the senator from New York took the state she represents, along with former president Bill Clinton’s home state of Arkansas. She also clinched wins in Massachusetts, Tennessee and Arizona as well as New Jersey, which she carried by 10 points with 98 percent of the precincts reporting. Her husband won the New Jersey primary in 1992 and 1996.

Oklahoma, also carried by Clinton, delivered 10 percent of the vote to former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), who suspended his campaign after a disappointing showing in South Carolina. Edwards carried his birth state in the 2004 Democratic primary.

At press time, New Mexico had not declared a winner in the Democratic primary.