McCain Clinches Nomination; Texas and Ohio Too Close to Call for Dems

The campaign trail comes to an end for Republicans as McCain sweeps all for primaries. The Democrat primaries in Texas and Ohio are still too close to call.

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - John McCain can now turn his sights fully on November after taking all four primaries in this mini-super Tuesday.

Mike Huckabee declared that he would step down when the Arizona Senator reached the 1, 191 delegates necessary for nomination. Tonight was that time.

I extended my congratulations to him," Huckabee stated. "Senator McCain has run an honorable campaign because he is an honorable man.

In his concession speech the former Arkansas Governor said he wasn't going to disappear now that the campaign is over. He said he would continue the fight for Republican principles. "Now we join with Sen. McCain to continue that battle."

When Vermont was declared for McCain earlier this evening, McCain was only 129 delegates from the nomination. In addition to taking the three remaining primaries today, McCain also received the better-late-than-never support of the Republican National Committee members who are delegates.

Barack Obama was declared the winner in Vermont but the other three races are still way too close to call. Clinton supporters are hoping for a miracle turn-around in Texas and Ohio to give Hillary an boost in her attempt to secure the nomination. So far, Obama has won the last 11 primaries.

Both Dems gave strong signals that the campaign won't end today. In fact, Ohio is a key state as far as the Clinton campaign is concerned.

"You don't get to the White House as a Democrat without winning Ohio. My husband didn't get the nomination wrapped up until June (in 1992). That has been the tradition." Clinton's comments were made in a speech in Houston.

Obama was speaking in San Antonio when he described Senator Clinton as "a tenacious and determined candidate which means that either way, we'll go on through Mississippi and Wyoming next week."

"All those states coming up are going to make a difference," he stated. "What we want to do is make sure we're competing in every single state."

One of the biggest pieces of the pie left is the Pennsylvania primary, which is to be held on April 22.

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