As Super Tuesday and the much-awaited California primary came to a close, Democrats and Republicans began looking toward the future to 23 states and the District of Columbia which are still waiting to hold primaries.
Hundreds of delegates that will secure the nominations for the Republicans and the Democrats are still at stake.
Democratic primary results do not point to a definite winner, but the Republicans may soon have a presidential candidate on their hands, said Hector Barajas, press secretary for the California Republican Party.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., emerged as a definite front-runner for the Republicans. He garnered 54 out of 58 of California’s congressional districts, giving him “a landslide victory,” Barajas said.
Romney’s decision to quit his campaign Thursday pointed to a contest that will “not be too nasty” on the Republican side said Matthew Baum, professor of political science. McCain will now have an easier time raising his delegate count from 714 to the 1,191 needed to secure the presidential nomination.
The California Republican Party will be focusing on getting their message out to the whole state, said Barajas. The next few contests for the Republicans will be happening in Louisiana, Washington, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
California will still play a pivotal role for John McCain’s campaign Barajas said.
“His message transcends the entire state and all corners of California,” he said.
California Republicans have also been emphasizing what they describe as the perilous possibilities of a Democratic executive. Republicans see the choice between Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., as a choice between someone “inexperienced or someone they can’t trust,” Barajas said.
The Democratic side has predicted a more drawn-out battle between their candidates. The close Democratic race will probably continue into the spring until the Democratic National Convention in August in Denver, Colo.
They will be giving their focus to as many states as possible in the near future said Bob Mulholland, campaign adviser for the Democratic Party.
Both Clinton and Obama are gathering delegates at comparable rates. Both are still far from the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the nomination.
“The Democratic voters are torn; they love them both,” Mulholland said. “They are in a neck-and-neck race.”
The California Democratic Party will be focusing on the votes of young people, Mulholland said. The youth are voting in very high numbers, many of them for Democratic candidates, he said.
The party will be pushing for more participation from Democratic organizations on college campuses in California, however, Baum said the Democratic race will “drag on.”
Delegate-rich states Pennsylvania and Texas will be important for nominees in the future, he said.