Primary Season Heats Up
Vilas Nair
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: Politics
The 2008 elections might well be the most exciting in recent memory if trends from the primaries continue. The nascent 2008 primary season has seen inevitable candidates falter, candidates written-off as too old or too ideological seizing victory, and a host of other anomalies. After a series of relatively close races for both Democrats and Republicans in Iowa and New Hampshire which dispelled the notion of any one candidate dominating the delegate counts, subsequent races in Michigan, Nevada, and South Carolina have made the picture even murkier.
In Michigan, a jubilant Mitt Romney claimed a much needed victory while Hillary Clinton's win was largely overshadowed by a Democratic debate in Nevada. Romney, who polled well throughout the country, entered the Michigan primary fresh off a pair of silver medal finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. Despite his national popularity, impressive funding, and authority on economic issues, Romney seemed unable to inspire the Republican faithful. Heading into Michigan, Romney faced a tough challenge from a surging McCain campaign fresh off a victory in New Hampshire. McCain's popularity with Michigan's conservative western constituencies and wealthier metro-Detroiters propelled him to the front of polls. Last Tuesday however, McCain's pessimistic 'straight-talk' view of Michigan's future (which disappointed Michigan residents) combined with Romney's economic prowess aided Romney on the way to a decisive 39% to 30% victory over McCain. The Democratic race in Michigan, considered negligible by many, provided Clinton another victory. After moving its primaries up a couple of weeks against of the wishes of the Democratic National Committee, Michigan lost its delegates at the Democratic National Convention. To conform to the party line, prominent candidates like Barack Obama and John Edwards had their names removed from the Michigan ballot, urging their supporters to vote 'uncommitted' instead. CNN reported that the DNC's slight of Michigan compelled many voters to support no candidate or a Republican out of spite. As the Michigan primary results unfolded, Democrats debated live in Nevada in preparation for upcoming primaries. The debates appeared considerably bitterer than previous ones as Obama and Clinton sparred over supposedly racial comments from the Clinton campaign. Clinton denied that she approved or had any part in the comments as the candidates debated on the economy and the war in Iraq. With a surprising Republican race and a Democratic contest becoming wilier, subsequent primaries piqued the national interest.
In Michigan, a jubilant Mitt Romney claimed a much needed victory while Hillary Clinton's win was largely overshadowed by a Democratic debate in Nevada. Romney, who polled well throughout the country, entered the Michigan primary fresh off a pair of silver medal finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. Despite his national popularity, impressive funding, and authority on economic issues, Romney seemed unable to inspire the Republican faithful. Heading into Michigan, Romney faced a tough challenge from a surging McCain campaign fresh off a victory in New Hampshire. McCain's popularity with Michigan's conservative western constituencies and wealthier metro-Detroiters propelled him to the front of polls. Last Tuesday however, McCain's pessimistic 'straight-talk' view of Michigan's future (which disappointed Michigan residents) combined with Romney's economic prowess aided Romney on the way to a decisive 39% to 30% victory over McCain. The Democratic race in Michigan, considered negligible by many, provided Clinton another victory. After moving its primaries up a couple of weeks against of the wishes of the Democratic National Committee, Michigan lost its delegates at the Democratic National Convention. To conform to the party line, prominent candidates like Barack Obama and John Edwards had their names removed from the Michigan ballot, urging their supporters to vote 'uncommitted' instead. CNN reported that the DNC's slight of Michigan compelled many voters to support no candidate or a Republican out of spite. As the Michigan primary results unfolded, Democrats debated live in Nevada in preparation for upcoming primaries. The debates appeared considerably bitterer than previous ones as Obama and Clinton sparred over supposedly racial comments from the Clinton campaign. Clinton denied that she approved or had any part in the comments as the candidates debated on the economy and the war in Iraq. With a surprising Republican race and a Democratic contest becoming wilier, subsequent primaries piqued the national interest.
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