 John Kerry won five of seven contests Tuesday night in the Democratic presidential race, demonstrating broad national appeal and moving him closer to the nomination. John Edwards won big in South Carolina.
Kerry, a Vietnam veteran and four-term Massachusetts senator, piled up huge margins in Missouri and Arizona, the states with the most delegates at stake. He also prevailed in Delaware, North Dakota and New Mexico. "I am humbled and I am honored that so many Americans have joined this cause," Kerry said.
Retired general Wesley Clark appears to have edged Edwards in an Oklahoma squeaker. "Oklahoma is OK by me," a hoarse, jubilant Clark said of "this first election that I've ever won."
Although official results show Clark winning, the less than one percent margin means the final tally must be certified by election officials. Oklahoma's secretary of state is expected to make a formal declaration, which could take up to a week.
The results were crushing for Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman. After losing Delaware, his main hope, Lieberman quit the race. "The judgment of the voters is now clear," he said in announcing his "difficult but realistic decision."
Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor, didn't win anywhere. He did not actively compete on Tuesday, focusing instead on later contests.
Dean is trying against steep odds to revive his campaign in Michigan and Washington. The Wisconsin primary Feb. 17 could be decisive for the remaining candidates.
North Carolina Sen. Edwards, a successful lawyer whose father worked in a textile mill, made remarks aimed as much at the wealthy Kerry as at President Bush. "We stand at a crossroads," he said. "Will we have a leader, a president, who actually understands the problems of working people?"
Kerry said on CNN that he agrees with Edwards' frequent comment that "the family you're born into" should not control your destiny. "Where you come from is not what it is about," Kerry said. "What matters is what you fight for and what your record is."
Kerry, the winner last month in Iowa and New Hampshire, now moves on to weekend contests in Michigan, Washington and Maine. Edwards is looking to Michigan and, with Clark, to primaries Tuesday in Virginia and Tennessee.
He wasted no time Tuesday in trying to portray his remaining rivals as regional candidates.
"I compliment John Edwards, but I think you have to run a national campaign, and I think that's what we've shown tonight," Kerry said. "You can't cherry-pick the presidency."
Kerry's showing convinced some analysts the nomination is his to lose. "There would have to be a shocking upset or two, very fast, to derail his prospects," says Bill Carrick, a top Democratic strategist not affiliated with a campaign.
With Iowa and New Hampshire already in his pocket, Kerry boasts a record of 7-2 in primary season contests. He won three states with more than 50% of the vote Tuesday, and ran strong in all seven states, especially among voters favoring a candidate with experience or someone who can beat President Bush. Still, the undisputed front-runner missed a chance to put two major rivals away.
Clark did better than expected, but it came at a heavy price. He spent $11 million on TV ads in hopes of standing alone against Kerry.
Of the 269 pledged delegates at stake Tuesday night, an AP analysis showed Kerry winning 88, Edwards 58, Clark 25, Dean three and Al Sharpton one, with 94 yet to be allocated. Kerry won the two most delegate-rich states, Missouri and Arizona, while Clark and Edwards divided the next two biggest prizes.
Tuesday's results pushed Kerry just over 200 delegates out of 2,162 needed for the nomination, including the superdelegates of lawmakers and party traditionalists. Dean trailed by nearly 70, Edwards by nearly 100.
Democrats award delegates based on a candidates' showing in congressional districts, giving Kerry's rivals a chance to grab a few delegates even in contests they lost.
In nearly every region of the nation, the most diverse group of Democrats yet to cast votes this primary season said they had a singular priority: Defeat Bush.
"I don't care who wins" the Democratic primary, said Judy Donovan of Tucson. "I'd get my dog to run. I'm not kidding. I would get Mickey Mouse in there. Anybody but Bush."
In state after state, exit polls showed Kerry dominated among voters who want a candidate with experience or who could beat Bush.
Edwards had said he must win South Carolina, and he did by dominating among voters who said they most value a candidate who cares about people like them.
"It's very easy to lay out the map to get us to the nomination," Edwards told the AP, drawing a line from Michigan on Saturday to Virginia and Tennessee next Tuesday. On CNN's American Morning, he again said he was uninterested in a vice presidential slot if his presidential bid fails. "This is about being president," Edwards said. "That's what this race is about for me."
Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said he would not push Dean to get out of the race, despite Tuesday's poor showings. "Howard Dean is going to make up his own mind" about his candidacy, McAuliffe said.
Contributing: USA TODAY staff writers Jill Lawrence and Susan Page and The Associated Press. |
