She'll Be Comin' Down on the Mountain

Clinton and Romney win in Nevada; McCain wins in South Carolina

Posted at 5:21 PM on 19 Jan 2008

Hillary Clinton beat Barack Obama to win the Democratic caucuses in Nevada on Saturday, getting 51 percent of the vote compared to Obama's 45 (and John Edwards' dismal 4). The economy was the top concern among Nevada voters surveyed, but the environment may have played a role too. Clinton tried to gain an edge in the state by touting her pledge to shut down the embattled Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage site, which is under construction 90 miles from Las Vegas. Obama too opposes Yucca Mountain, but Clinton raised questions about his commitment by pointing out that he's gotten a number of campaign donations from employees of Exelon, a major nuclear company that supports the waste dump. (Of course, Clinton's got nuclear industry donors of her own who also want Yucca's doors open.) Now it's on to South Carolina, where the Democratic primary will be held on Jan. 26.

The Republican primary in South Carolina came a week ahead of the Democratic one, and John McCain took the prize, besting second-place finisher Mike Huckabee. In Nevada, Mitt Romney was the decisive victor of the GOP caucuses. The next important Republican contest is the Jan. 29 primary in Florida, where green issues are big with voters (just ask the state's governor, Republican Charlie Crist).

Find out more about the presidential contenders' environmental stances in Grist's special series, "How Green Is Your Candidate?"

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Comments: (6 comments)

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This whole presidential mess is disgusting

I can't believe how perverted the race has become. Now that the media says John Edwards can't win, he's out!

Did anyone else notice that Ron Paul came in second in Nevada? No? Only me?

It's like Matt Taibi said - "You can put any s*t up the flag and all these reporters will just f**in' salute!"

by inkabinkaboo182 at 10:33 PM on 19 Jan 2008

Obama has more delegates

Yes, but Obama won more delegates and is still the front runner for the Democrat Party.

by jabailo at 11:12 PM on 19 Jan 2008

Check your facts

I suppose if you just started paying attention to the primary/caucus race, you would think Obama has more delegates. In fact, Clinton has about 236 delegates to Obama's 136.

(+/-, depending on the source. Real Clear Politics has it at 236 to 148; CNN counts 210 to 123; AP counts 237 to 135).

Clinton will run particularly strong in New York, California, Florida, and much of the South. Obama probably is stronger in the Midwest. Clinton is the front-runner.

Woe for the best remaining candidates, Edwards and Kucinich.

by guade00 at 8:15 AM on 20 Jan 2008
[ Parent ]

Edwards...

...he was a good candidate, and I don't think I'd have any problem whatsoever with him becomin' president. But he just didn't have the name recognition that Clinton and Obama have, unfortunately. He might be the frontrunner otherwise.

At this point, I think I'd be happy with any one of the three.

by Tasermons Partner at 8:56 AM on 20 Jan 2008

More Elected Delegates

In fact, Clinton has about 236 delegates to Obama's 136.

Obama has more elected delegates. The superdelegates give Clinton the extra. That's because Bill Clinton has had a lock on the DNC ever since 1992.

But, you may then ask, for a Party that screamed loud and long after the 2000 about fairness, it seems that within its own ranks, it's deprecating the will of the voters with these superdelegates and denying the voters ultimate say in the election.

by jabailo at 5:23 PM on 20 Jan 2008
[ Parent ]

Super delegates and fairness

The idea of superdelegates in the democratic party arises out of a fundamental differences between them and the republicans. The democratic party, by it's very nature, includes a wider variety of peoples and interests. The use of superdelegates is supposed to increase the likelihood that the primary process will produce a candidate who is more electable than some of the others. It doesn't always work, but maybe it helps.

by Boyscientist at 5:31 AM on 22 Jan 2008

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