Huckabee wins West Virginia

Posted: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:32 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Republicans

NBC News declares Mike Huckabee the projected winner in the West Virginia - GOP caucus.

*** UPDATE *** Romney Campaign Manager Beth Myers released the following statement on the West Virginia result:

"Unfortunately, this is what Senator McCain's inside Washington ways look like: he cut a backroom deal with the tax-and-spend candidate he thought could best stop Governor Romney's campaign of conservative change.

"Governor Romney had enough respect for the Republican voters of West Virginia to make an appeal to them about the future of the party based on issues. This is why he led on today's first ballot. Sadly, Senator McCain cut a Washington backroom deal in a way that once again underscores his legacy of working against Republicans who are interested in championing conservative policies and rebuilding the party."

*** UPDATE 2 *** From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
For some context on why the Romney campaign likely sent out this statement, this contest worked on two votes. In the first round of voting, Romney actually led Huckabee, 41%-33% with McCain third at 16% and Paul fourth at 10%. But since no one got 50%, the required threshold to win, they voted again. They took an hour recess, came back, eliminated anyone lower than third, and voted. Huckabee came out the winner, 52%-47%. McCain got just 1%.

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Comments

Way to go Gov. Huckabee! Maybe that will help the Huckabee supporters who feel they must cast their vote elsewhere because they've heard that he can't win!
We have a choice! Vote Mike Huckabee!

Kathryn in Bham (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:39 PM)

Go Obama

Obama (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:41 PM)

I thought this was Romney's state to win? Wow could this be an indication that these polls are silly and no one know who will win anything. I for one refused to be exit polled this morning....... Its all going to be wait and see folks.....

Lynette, NYC (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:41 PM)

It is possible that Huckabee may win more states than Romney today. Big loss for romney. He thought he had this one wrapped up. If Romney can't win Tenn, alabama, Mizzo or Georgia it is going to be a very long night for him. He just doesn't resonate in the south.

This will be a series problem for him in the general election if he wins the GOP nomination. Obama would crush Romney in the southern states.

asher (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:43 PM)

So how's that Ron Paul revolution going?

Dream Big (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:44 PM)

Good work, WV... things are going according to plan.

M. Boley (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:45 PM)

When the pollsters first missed the mark in Iowa, the social media research company I work for decided to see if the blogosphere was as wrong as the traditional media. Using a more primitive version of our current methodology, we were pleasantly surprised to see that a measurement of blog sentiment and activity would have correctly (if narrowly) predicted an Obama win. Our theory as to why this is: people so engaged in the political process that they publicly blog about their favorite candidates could fairly represent those who are engaged enough to vote in the primaries and caucuses at all. We followed 5 states for Super Tuesday and made overall and specific predictions, which can be found here, if you’re interested:

http://blog.collectiveintellect.com/2008/02/05/super-tuesday-blogosphere-predicts-mccain-obama-as-winners/

Kevin Yordy, Boulder, CO (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:45 PM)

i guess nobody was listening to Ron Paul!!

justanotherdummycrat Norwich, NY (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:48 PM)

THIS JUST IN!!!! Obama leading by large margins in early exit polling in California. So, all Obama supporters, you don't need to waste your time voting there. Others have sealed his victory for you already. Stay home and enjoy the rest of the day.

The Truth about CA! (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:49 PM)

Woop-dee-freakn-doo! Too bad he still thinks the world is only 6000 years old and wants all of us to follow biblical law as strict as fundamentalist muslims want people to follow shariah law.

pat huntington ny (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:50 PM)

Unnamed sources claim that Huckabee, in gratitude to the state of West Virginia, will have one leg slightly shortened.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:50 PM)

Tax Hike Mike Huckleberry is a big fat bigot and homo-phobe who wants to ruin this nation like he ruined Arkansas.

HuckHaterUSA (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:51 PM)

No surprise there. But how about someplace that counts, with a population that can, too?

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:56 PM)

Wow! Huckabee is a winner! He is the true conservative in the race, and the voters have seen it!
Go all the way, Huckabee!

Helen Smith, Plano, Texas (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

NEWS ALERT--- GEORGE BUSH THE PROJECTED LOOSER.

Larry the information guy (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

Yea, did you hear it was because after Romney won the first round that McCains people approached the Huckabee people and said that McCain wanted to put his votes behind Huckabee so that Romney wouldn't win. How dirty can you get! They have hurt their reputations and it will come back to haunt them in later primarys. People don't like back door deals.
Vote Mitt Romney for President!

MK in Arizona (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

Go Huckabee, he is the only one who even comes close to deserving to be president.

Donald, WIlkesboro, NC (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 2:59 PM)

YES! I am a republican but McCain would not get my vote. I really like Mike Huckabee and I think in the end of of the political debates he had been put on the back burner. This I beleive is due to Mitt's $$ and all the old political crony's of McCain.
I hope this will be just the begining of a turn for the republican party.
If McCain does get in I will be voting for a democrat

Judy Meyer, Fort Myers Fl. (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

What a great start to Super Tuesday. The demise of Romney has begun

Bob Collea, Charlotte, NC (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

Purfect example of how Huckabee is wasting votes!

BryanT, Denver, CO (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

This is crazy. If Huckaberry uses one more trite one liners (like the target one and the blood one that he said in the debates, besides many others.)I'm going to throw-up. He thinks he is a comedian. Actually he is more a comedian than a politician. He should be a regular on late night. Why WV would you vote for him ? McCain people wake up!!!

Cindy Oakland Twp Mi (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

McCain supporters are spineless and refuse to allow the majority of delegates to be allocated as the WV block decided to support Romney. McCain and Huckabee tag teamed to defeat Romney - that is unfair and unAmerican. XXX McCain is disgraceful. He just disqualified himself from the presidency. Tsk tsk.

Jack Milford (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

Go Huckabee! I couldn't be happier.

Kathy (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:02 PM)

Go Governor Huckabee! We are so proud of you and are excited to see you claim many other states by the end of the night! You are the true conservative in the race that deserves the Republican Nomination!

Natasha, Des Moines, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:02 PM)

Thankyou to McCain's supporters for backing Mike Huckabee. It's obvious to them and a lot of other voters that Mitt Romney is not who he professes to be.

Mark,Kenosha,WI (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:02 PM)

So?

Waleeg, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:03 PM)

According to Realcclearpolitics.com.....it appears that Romney won the caucus delegate first round but then it the second round, all of McCain's votes went to Huckabee to put him over the top.....just a complete display of political collusion. McCain/Hucabee is going to be the ticket and the republicans (and I am one) are going to get blown out........Romney is the only chance we have to make it a race. West coast voters need to turn out and vote againts the McCain/Huckabee arranged marriage!

Joel, Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:03 PM)

THAT was Quick !!

Congrats Mike !!

I don't agree with all your stands.....

But, you seem honest

Sierra, SF (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:05 PM)

thx 4 the enthusiastic msg nbc

Sean, Spokane WA (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:05 PM)

It's kind of sad when a confessed conservative teams with a liberal to beat another conservative, which is what happened in WV. You can't tell me the fix isn't in with McCain and Huckabee against Romney.

Raymond Roberts, Vero Beach, FL (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:06 PM)

Projected Winner of all 22 states OBAMA ,according to CNN ,MSNBC ,WOLF KEITH,AC and Chirs Matthews

Jane Doe (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:06 PM)

A vote for Huckabee is a vote for John McCain. Plain and simple.

Bryan Bemis Logan, Utah (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:07 PM)

Alright! Go Huck!
Actually what this shows is that when you put the two candidates claiming to be conservative. The one True Conservative wins. I hope the nation sees this and realizes they've be duped by the Nation Media and that Huck is still in the race and can still win!

GO HUCK!

Tim, West Allis, WI (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:09 PM)

LARRY - George Bush has always been a looser!

Linda Moran (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:10 PM)

...as if West Virginia matters.. P L ease.. give me a break.

g.eglesias'~nepa` (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:10 PM)

To MK But it was alright for the Ron Paul chacters to switch to Romney? Your a hypocrit just like your candidate!

Peter, NH (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:11 PM)

Go Team Huckabee! Thank you West Virginia! Now it's time for ALL true conservatives to rise to the occasion and show the media and the talking heads that they don't make the decision, we do. People can see through the manipulation and spin, to make informed choices.

Go Mike!

Greg C., Conway, Arkansas (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:11 PM)

I am a democrat, but I offended at how religion is playing a roll in the republican primary. They both show distain for Romney, and it goes back to his religion. You can try and prove me wrong, it wont change my mind, and in fact most mormons around the country feel the same way. The Republican party is hurting themselves and if McCain wins and pick Huckabee for VP and Obama wins, I can see Obama winning, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Neveda because the mormons are really ticked about it

Daniel D. Reality United states (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:13 PM)

If what "MK" above said is even remotely true, then the McCain campaign needs to be brought up on vote tampering charges.

A campaign cannot overtly order or ask that their supporters change their vote preference in the middle of an active caucus. The decision to switch or not must be left up to the voters themselves.

If this allegation is true, then McCain really is the back door dealer I always thought him to be.

JR, O'Fallon, MO (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:14 PM)

McCain is a crook and Huckabee is his enabler.

Emmett Till, Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:15 PM)

GO ROMNEY...vote splitting Huck and McCain are pathetic. Obviously it takes two of them to beat one Romney.

Jeff, Mesa AZ (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:15 PM)

Its sad how Huckabee can not be a graceful gentleman and just bow out. Knowing he doesnt have what it takes to beat Mcain, how can he even then challenge the Democrats. It is a sad day when he knows this and is on purposfully spliting the vote so a man (Romney) who has a good chance, now doesnt have a snow ball in HE--. He's not a fair, nor Honest man in my book (The Bible).

Richard, Osteen, FL. (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:16 PM)

MK here's what I'm hearing: Waaaa! Waaaa!

TJM, Atlanta, GA (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:16 PM)

Yeah, caucuses can lead to skewed outcomes. I LIKE Huckabee, I can tolerate McCain, if Romney wins...I'd vote for Hilary first!

ffeineandsugar, Baltimore, MD (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:17 PM)

Hey Truth About CA... Only the Candidates who are worried about losing try to convince voters to stay home. What are you a Bush Republican?

ARC (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:17 PM)

hahahaha thats funny. thats not dirty thats politics. and a good stradagy thats what you do in primaries. you make deals to get delagates or vice versa. "dirty" would be attack adds or spreding false rumors about things that do not pertain to politics. That is just a good job on mccains part becuase if huckabee drops out he will get most if not all of huckabee's voters.

Kyle, Seattle,WA (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:17 PM)

It's spelled L O S E R, Loser.

Wow! People who cant spell taking cracks at the president.

Jay, Southern CA (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:17 PM)

Huckabee won by someone else's support. He didn't win because there was that many people that supported him. There was more people that supported the idea to not let Romney win then there was people to support Huckabee. That is so pathetic. Romney should have won that race. This is just further evidence that "A vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain". Also that Huckabee is McCain's little string puppet to win the nomination. McCain wouldn't touch Huckabee with a ten foot pole for his VP. Huckabee is dreaming. McCain isn't going to be electable in November because a lot of his base is going to stay home rather than vote for him. C'mon voters, get out there and vote or caucus for Mitt Romney! He is our country's last hope for survival in the world.

Barbara Nevada (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:18 PM)

Arkansas is proud of you Mike!

Toby, Little Rock Ar (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:18 PM)

Congrats Mike. Hope this is an indication of what is to come in the other 21 states!!

Scott Jeffries (Sent Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:19 PM)

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