5:38 p.m. Polls close at 6 p.m. CST for the Virginia primary. On the Democratic side, 83 of the state’s 101 delegates to the DNC are tied to today’s primary. For the Republicans, 60 of Virginia’s 63 delegates to the GOP convention are tied to today’s primary.

6:00 p.m. NBC News, Fox News, and CNN have called the state of Virginia for Barack Obama in the Democratic race. MSNBC characterized Obama’s win as “substantial.” Each network characterizes the race on the GOP side as ‘competitive’ and ‘too close to call.’

6:22 p.m. Republican (1% reporting)
Huckabee = 64%
McCain = 30%
Romney = 3%
Paul = 3%

6:22 p.m. Democratic (1% reporting)
Obama = 56%
Clinton = 43%

6:27 p.m. Republican (3% reporting)
Huckabee = 49%
McCain = 44%
Paul = 3%
Romney = 3%

6:27 p.m. Democratic (4% reporting)
Obama = 62%
Clinton = 37%

6:32 p.m. McCain has won just 13 of 31 contests to date (41 percent). Although most of the 11 wins by Mitt Romney and 8 wins by Mike Huckabee have been in smaller, caucus states, it is quite unusual for a near-anointed frontrunner to have lost so many states at this stage in the process. Recent election history indicates that voters in most states have “fallen in line” by now, but this is clearly not happening on the GOP side of the ticket.

6:37 p.m. Republican (7% reporting)
Huckabee = 51%
McCain = 42%
Paul = 3%
Romney = 3%

6:37 p.m. Democratic (7% reporting)
Obama = 62%
Clinton = 37%

6:43 p.m. Republican (11% reporting)
Huckabee = 49%
McCain = 43%
Paul = 4%
Romney = 3%

6:43 p.m. Democratic (11% reporting)
Obama = 60%
Clinton = 39%

6:50 p.m. Republican (18% reporting)
Huckabee = 48%
McCain = 44%
Paul = 4%
Romney = 3%

6:50 p.m. Democratic (17% reporting)
Obama = 61%
Clinton = 38%

7:06 p.m. Republican (31% reporting)
McCain = 47%
Huckabee = 45%
Paul = 4%
Romney = 3%

7:06 p.m. Democratic (30% reporting)
Obama = 62%
Clinton = 37%

7:13 p.m. Republican (36% reporting)
McCain = 46%
Huckabee = 46%
Paul = 4%
Romney = 3%

CNN analysts suggest most of the counties Huckabee is carrying have a much larger percentage of the vote in than in those counties in which McCain is leading.

7:13 p.m. Democratic (36% reporting)
Obama = 62%
Clinton = 37%

7:26 p.m. Republican (47% reporting)
McCain = 47%
Huckabee = 45%
Paul = 4%
Romney = 3%

Votes for Mitt Romney may well be the difference in the GOP Virginia race. McCain currently leads Huckabee by approximately 2,900 votes, while Romney has received more than 6,300.

7:26 p.m. Democratic (47% reporting)
Obama = 61%
Clinton = 38%

7:29 p.m. NBC News has just called the Virginia race for John McCain, his 14th victory of the campaign to date.

7:30 p.m. Fox News has now called Virignia for McCain.

7:31 p.m. And now CNN has called the race for McCain.

7:42 p.m. Republican (61% reporting)
Huckabee = 47%
McCain = 44%
Paul = 4%
Romney = 3%

McCain will win all 60 GOP delegates tied to today’s winner-take-all primary today in Virginia.

7:42 p.m. Democratic (63% reporting)
Obama = 62%
Clinton = 37%

8:09 p.m. Republican (70% reporting)
Huckabee = 48%
McCain = 43%

12:09 a.m. Republican (99% reporting)
McCain = 50%
Huckabee = 41%
Paul = 5%
Romney = 3%

12:09 a.m. Democratic (99% reporting)
Obama = 64%
Clinton = 35%

Posted in Virginia

Leave a Comment