Mike Huckabee helped Arizona Senator John McCain secure the Florida Primary by soaking up just enough votes from Mitt Romney in key counties in the northern part of the state. The win gives John McCain the ability to raise money going into Super Tuesday. Florida is a winner take all state, so McCain received all of Florida's delegates. Sportsbook.com has John McCain at 4 to 7 odds to win the Republican Party's 2008 Presidential Nomination.
"It might not have reached landslide proportions," stated John McCain during his speech after winning the Florida Primary. "But it is sweet none the less."
The tone of John McCain's Florida Primary victory speech was very humbling with the Senator acknowledging each of of the Republican Presidential Candidates individually except Ron Paul. Perhaps McCain is upset with the Texas Congressman for stumping him with an economic question in the Florida Debate last week.
"Ron Paul won all the debates," stated Rudy Guiliani in his speech conceding defeat in the Florida Primary to John McCain. "Government works best when it empowers people to take responsibilities for their own lives.”
The early reports are that Rudy Guiliani will be at the Reagan Library to announce he is ending his bid for the White House and that he endorses John McCain. The endorsement will take place right before the Republican Debate. The Former New York City Mayor will most likely receive some sort of role in a McCain administration. McCain will also inherit a well organized campaign infrastructure in California from Rudy.
McCain's camp wants to grab another high delegate state like California to put another nail in Mitt Romney’s coffin after the former Governor seeded New York already. Romney is the biggest major threat to McCain at this point other than himself. Romney has an untapped personal fortune ready to be used to give John a run for his money. Sportsbook.com has Mitt Romney at 7 to 4 odds of becoming the 2008 Republican Presidential Nominee.
"We were excited, but not happy," stated Mitt Romney in his speech acknowledging McCain's win and his silver finish "We are going to have to overcome new challenges….We are not going to change Washington by sending the same people back to sit in different chairs."
Ron Paul has yet to win a primary but his second place finish in the Nevada Caucus followed by his second place in the Louisiana Caucus gave his campaign a boost. Paul’s supporters believe the Texas Congressman will do well in the Maine Primary. Republican Presidential hopefuls like Huckabee do not have the dough to survive that far beyond Super Tuesday giving Paul a nice advantage to outlast the other lower tiered candidates and gobble up some of their support once they leave the race.
Ron Paul should be able to grab some of Guiliani voters and Hucksters once Mike drops out of the race after Super Tuesday. Mike Huckabee debuted Ron Paul inspired “abolish the IRS” mantra in his Florida Primary commercials which we expect to see in other states on Super Tuesday.
Sportsbook.com has posted political betting odds to win the Republican Party’s 2008 Presidential Nomination:
John McCain: 4 – 7
Mike Huckabee: 20 – 1
Mitt Romney: 7 – 4
Ron Paul: 25 – 1
Rudy Giuliani: 10 – 1
