Kerry Consolidates Lead in Democratic Presidential Nomination

Strategic Insights -

Senator John Kerry's resounding wins in Delaware, Missouri, Arizona, North Dakota, and New Mexico have solidified his position as the leading Democratic presidential candidate. With these victories, Kerry has now won five of the seven states that voted on Tuesday, further strengthening his claim to be the candidate best equipped to defeat President George W. Bush in the general election. His chief rival, Senator John Edwards, secured his first victory with a strong win in South Carolina, while General Wesley Clark managed to stay in the race with a narrow win in Oklahoma.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator John Kerry won five of the seven states that voted on Tuesday, including Delaware, Missouri, Arizona, North Dakota, and New Mexico.
  • Senator John Edwards secured his first victory with a strong win in South Carolina, a state he said he must win to stay in the race.
  • General Wesley Clark managed to stay in the race with a narrow win in Oklahoma, where he beat Senator Edwards by less than 1 per cent.
  • Senator Joe Lieberman lost in all states and quit the race.
  • Former frontrunner Howard Dean had poor results in all seven states, with his best result being a close third in New Mexico.
  • Dean vowed to fight on, citing his hopes of strong performances in Washington state, Michigan, and the 11 states up for grabs on March 2, known as "Super Tuesday".
  • The strong support for Senator Kerry reinforced the theory that Democrats nationwide are putting aside personal preferences to support candidates with the best chance of defeating Mr Bush.
  • Senator Kerry stated that his wins in the seven states represented all elements of America's diverse population, making him the best candidate to defeat President Bush.
  • Senator Edwards showed no sign of ceding to Senator Kerry, stating that if given a shot at George Bush in November, he would give the people back the White House.

Statistics:

  • Kerry won Delaware with 50% of the vote, according to the results in the New York Times.
  • Edwards won South Carolina with 45% of the vote, according to the results in the New York Times.
  • Clark won Oklahoma with 30% of the vote, according to the results in the New York Times.
  • Dean finished a close third in New Mexico with 17% of the vote, according to the results in the New York Times.
  • Kerry received 43% of the vote in Arizona, according to the New York Times.
  • Clark received 27% of the vote in Arizona, according to the New York Times.
  • Dean received 14% of the vote in Arizona, according to the New York Times.

Sources:

  • "Kerry Wins 5 States, Moves Closer to Democratic Nomination" by Phillip Coorey in New York
  • The New York Times