Huckabee wins West Virginia with McCain supporters

REPUBLICAN Senator John McCain hoped to knock out his last serious challenger, ex-Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, yesterday.

The only state to announce a result ahead of going to print last night was West Virginia, where Republican outsider Mike Huckabee took all 18 delegates on offer.

Mr McCain challenged his remaining rivals for control of the Republican presidential race yesterday in primaries and caucuses from Connecticut to California.

Mr McCain was the Republican front-runner after winner-take-all primaries in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and his home state of Arizona.

Mr Romney, struggling to sustain his candidacy, concentrated on Missouri and California, as well as several caucus states.

Earlier in the day, Mr McCain said he still had to convince voters that he is the conservative candidate.

“I’ve got the record, and I can lead this nation in the struggle against radical Islamic extremism,” he said.

For his part, Mr Romney asserted his conservative credentials, telling Fox News that voters would be saying to themselves: “‘If I want the conservative [candidate] I’ve gotta vote for Mitt Romney — he’s the only one who’s got a realistic chance of getting this nomination.’”

Mr McCain, out campaigning in New York, said he was cautiously optimistic that the hours ahead would settle his party’s race in his favour: “I’m happy that we’re doing as well as we are, but this could be a long night,” he said.

A national poll for the Washington Post and ABC showed Mr McCain well ahead of his rivals, with 48% against Mr Romney’s 24%, with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Texas congressman Ron Paul trailing far behind.

Mr Huckabee won 18 delegates at West Virginia’s state GOP convention as backers of Mr McCain threw him their support to prevent Mr Romney from capturing the winner-take- all GOP state convention vote.

In the first contest decided on Super Tuesday, Mr Huckabee beat Mr Romney on the second ballot, with 52% of the vote to Mr Romney’s 47%.

Mr Romney took 41% on the first ballot while Mr Huckabee captured 33%; with Mr McCain taking 15% and Texas congressman Ron Paul, 10%.

Because no candidate had a majority, Mr Paul, the last- place finisher, was eliminated for the second vote.