Video: Crowded caucus at Carver
Photos: Election day around Waco
Audio: ChelseaHome > The Listening Post > Archives > 2008 > March > 06
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Obama leads Clinton in McLennan County delegate count so far
Sen. Barack Obama remained ahead of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in McLennan County’s precint-level delegates awarded based on Tuesday night’s caucus results, according to preliminary counts released Thursday afternoon.
John Cullar, McLennan County Democratic Party chairman, said Obama was beating Clinton in precincnt-level delegates 374 to 327 with 67 out of 92 precincts totaled. Another 277 precinct-level delegates are still up for grabs. Cullar hopes to have the rest of the precinct’s tallied by Friday.
Obama and Clinton are locked in a fierce battle over delegates to help them secure the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Neither candidate is expected to reach the 2,024 needed to lockup the nomination, but which ever one earns more delegates will gain an advantage they can tout.
The number of delegates from McLennan County who advance to the state convention will be narrowed to 81 at the the Democratic Party’s county convention on March 29.
At the state convention in June, three delegates chosen through caucus meetings from Texas Senate District 22, which includes McLennan County, will be selected to attend the national convention in August.
As of 5:45 p.m. Obama was leading Clinton in Senate District 22 with 50 percent of the precinct-level delegates to her 48 percent. There are still 178 precincts out of 300 in Senate District 22 that have yet to report to the state Democratic Party.
In Texas, 67 delegates from across the state are selected through caucus meetings. The majority —126— are determined through primary election results. According to results posted on the Texas Secretary of State’s Web site, Clinton leads Obama in primary determined delegates 65 to 61.
State party chair commends record Republican primary turnout
More than 1.3 million Republicans voted in the GOP primary election for president which almost double the 2004 turnout and 200,000 more than in 2000, according to a Republican Party of Texas press released issued Wednesday.
Tina Benkiser, the state Republican Party chairwoman commended voters for turning out in record numbers to voice their choice for president and other important races on the ballot.
“The Texas GOP is grateful to all the voters who turned out during early voting and on Election Day to voice their choice in this incredibly important election,” she said in the release. “We have a battle of principles and ideals ahead of us which we are well prepared to fight. Today, we focus on November.”
Statewide voter turnout for the Texas GOP was driven in part by the race for the White House between the last three candidates that included U.S. Sen. John McCain, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Numerous local contested primaries in large urban areas also contributed to the high turnout, according to the release.
“We have an amazing slate of candidates who ran during the primary; and to them we say thank you for your time, energy and ideas,” Benkiser said. “Now we must focus on November and coalescing behind our nominees.”
Permalink | |
