Clinton Scores Lonely Victory in Michigan's Hobbled Democratic Primary by Marie Horrigan, CQPolitics
Clinton ended up with 55 percent of the vote in the lightly attended Democratic contest, with 40 percent of the voters choosing the "uncommitted" line.
The peculiar contest resulted from the hard line taken by the Democratic National Committee against Michigan's rule-breaking Jan. 15 primary date, which ultimately led to the national party's revocation of all 156 of the state's delegates to the party's August national convention. The DNC's demand that most states, including Michigan, stick to a Feb. 5 starting date for the presidential nominating process prompted Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards -- Clinton's chief rivals for the nomination -- to withdraw their names from the ballot.
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Despite these circumstances, Clinton's campaign declared a significant victory. "Tonight Michigan Democrats spoke loudly for a new beginning," Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle said in a statement. She added: "Your voices matter. And as president, Hillary Clinton will not only keep listening, but will make sure your voice is always heard." [ROFL]
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It was clear that the scheduling flap depressed turnout in the Democratic primary, well below levels that would have been expected in a state where Democrats hold the governor' office and both U.S. Senate seats and where Democratic nominees have prevailed in four consecutive elections. According to complete, unofficial returns, turnout for the simultaneous Republican primary exceeded that for the Democratic contest by more than a quarter million voters. Former Massachusetts governor (and Michigan native) Mitt Romney finished first ahead of Arizona Sen. John McCain in the GOP primary.
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Although the national party has stripped the state of its delegates, Michigan Democrats insist they will have their full delegation restored at the national convention in Denver because of Michigan's importance as a battleground state in the general election.
Brewer added that the skewed turnout for the primary was not an omen for the partisan contest to come. "I can tell you regardless of turnout tonight there's enormous energy among Democrats in this state just as there is elsewhere in this country, and I expect that we're going to have record high turnout in the fall," he predicted.
CNN's Exit Polling
The peculiar contest resulted from the hard line taken by the Democratic National Committee against Michigan's rule-breaking Jan. 15 primary date, which ultimately led to the national party's revocation of all 156 of the state's delegates to the party's August national convention. The DNC's demand that most states, including Michigan, stick to a Feb. 5 starting date for the presidential nominating process prompted Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards -- Clinton's chief rivals for the nomination -- to withdraw their names from the ballot.
....
Despite these circumstances, Clinton's campaign declared a significant victory. "Tonight Michigan Democrats spoke loudly for a new beginning," Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle said in a statement. She added: "Your voices matter. And as president, Hillary Clinton will not only keep listening, but will make sure your voice is always heard." [ROFL]
...
It was clear that the scheduling flap depressed turnout in the Democratic primary, well below levels that would have been expected in a state where Democrats hold the governor' office and both U.S. Senate seats and where Democratic nominees have prevailed in four consecutive elections. According to complete, unofficial returns, turnout for the simultaneous Republican primary exceeded that for the Democratic contest by more than a quarter million voters. Former Massachusetts governor (and Michigan native) Mitt Romney finished first ahead of Arizona Sen. John McCain in the GOP primary.
...
Although the national party has stripped the state of its delegates, Michigan Democrats insist they will have their full delegation restored at the national convention in Denver because of Michigan's importance as a battleground state in the general election.
Brewer added that the skewed turnout for the primary was not an omen for the partisan contest to come. "I can tell you regardless of turnout tonight there's enormous energy among Democrats in this state just as there is elsewhere in this country, and I expect that we're going to have record high turnout in the fall," he predicted.
CNN's Exit Polling