CNN

I see all this fuss over each of the candidates when they win a this state or that state, but with the shuffle in primary dates who can even come close to predicting who will become the GOP candidate. and I don't understand why there isn't more attention paid to the total number of delegates each has. I have not heard a single news commentator state that Romney has almost double the delegates of his nearest challenger! And isn't the end goal to have more delegates than anyone else in the end?

Bravo to SC in choosing the best man for the job. An honest , pulls no punches man, and doesn't promise anything unless he believes in it from his heart. Do the research to see his credentials.

Hillary Clinton will be the next President of the United States.

there is no place on anyones ticket for a war mongering candidate. GOPer's like that kind of sadism because if they have there flunky in the big seat he will only send the poor and disadvantaged off to get killed for there benefit ie oil.

For the person who said CNN is one-sided because "Romney projected to win Nevada" wasn't the top headline – where were ya from 12-3 pm when that was all we heard? And from 3-7 pm when it was the top headline with Clinton winning Nevada? Maybe it isn't the top headline anymore because:

a) Romney and Paul were the only candidates who spent much $ trying to win there and
b) 1/4 of the voters in Nevada were Mormon, of which 97% voted for Romney. Sure am glad they didn't use religion as a reason to decide who to vote for.

I am voting for MITT ROMNEY!!!!!

Mitt has not been in Washington for years like John McLaim, Clinton and Obama.

Mitt has held executive positions as a Govenor and in private business, Obama, Clinton and John McLaim have only worked in Washington they do not have a clue about private business or the American economy.

Mitt is a conservative that’s why the media hates him; John McLaim is a liberal just look who he associates with Kennedy, Feingold, the gang of 14, ect. and that’s why the media loves John McLaim.

Mitt is against amnesty for illegal aliens; Obama, Clinton and John McLaim are for amnesty for illegal aliens.

Mitt is for tax cuts, Obama, Clinton and John McLaim are against tax cuts and want to raise our taxes.

Mitt is for conservative judges, Obama, Clinton and John McLaim are for liberal judges.

Mitt wants to free Americans and American business from the federal government Obama, Clinton and John McLaim want big government and are responsible for big government we have.

Mitt will fight to protect this country and build a strong military; Obama, Clinton and John McLaim stood by when al-Qaeda attacked our interests in the 1990 and the 1980s.

Mitt Romney is the right change for America

Vote for Mitt!!!

McCain is the ONLY Republican with a small chance of winning against any of the top three Dems (Hillary, Obama, & Edwards). Likely, even he will lose because of his overwhelming support for the war in Iraq.

Despite this, the paranoid/hateful base of the Republican party will never elect McCain. They will ALWAYS choose someone who wants to make abortion illegal and is anti-gay (McCain is neither). These are the two main issues that Republicans have used for a generation to convince people to vote against their economic interest to win elections. Giving either one of these up is nearly impossible at this point as their base has coalesced so strongly around this issues. Most of the base would rather have a massive deficit, a dollar crisis, mortgage crisis, and high oil prices than a pro-gay rights and pro-choice candidate.

Its kind of sad when you think about it. Many poor and middle-class people are totally duped into voting for the party of the super-rich because they don't like gay people or legal abortions... Luckily for the American Middle Class, people have turned against the war and will vote for change.

"At this time however, I think Romney is our best shot at beating the misguided Democrats."

By what calculus do you even begin to arrive at that conclusion? Here's some hard numbers and facts. Generally when a candidate can muster 50% or more support in polls going into an election it's mostly a done deal. If that candidate is seen as a "challenger," which the Democrats are this year as the White House is held by a Republican, any undecideds will generally break in favor of them. So, off to Real Clear Politics to see how these guys stack up in poll averages:

Romney, compared against Edwards, Obama, and Clinton not only loses in each one (by 16.3%, 21.4%, and 12% respectively), but each of those candidates crosses the 50% threshold in the polling averages in their matchup against Mitt. Simply put, at this stage of the game Romney is a loser against these guys. Unlike a primary contest, it doesn't do you any good to get the "silver" in the general election. Furthermore, Mitt Romney has had a lot of national exposure at this point, so there isn't going to be a "getting to know Mitt," phase during which he can overcome this deficit.

Now, what's interesting is that only two candidates stack up like this against Edwards, Romney and Thompson. McCain, Giuliani, and Huckabee all at least leave Edwards below the 50% threshold. When stacked up against Obama and Hillary; Giuliani, Huckabee, and Thompson all see Obama over the 50% threshold. Hillary only crosses the 50% threshold against Giuliani among that group. The only candidate who keeps both Hillary and Obama below the 50% threshold and actually posts leads over them in the poll averages is McCain. In other words, of the current field of Republican candidates it is McCain who is the best shot of beating the Democrats as things stand, and Romney may actually stand the worst chance.

You make it sound so bad that McCain isn't such a die hard righty. We need more moderates running this country. The last thing we need is someone on the far left or far right (LOOK AT BUSH!) to be leading this country. I was a McCain supporter in 2000 and I imagine a whole different country than the quagmire bush got us into had he won then. He might be old and he may not get the nomination in the end but he is an American Icon and a moderate. Is that so bad?

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? I can't believe that Carolinians would vote McAmnesty! I guess those jobs lost to the overwhelming influx of illegals weren't that important to them after all. Way to make your unemployment permanent. With McCain on board, you might as well take a number at the unemployment office.

So much for making your vote count!

Where's the CNN headline, "CNN projects Romney will win Nevada"???

You guys are sooooo one sided!

Way to go John McCain! An honest to goodness truthful man at last. Hey people, just look up his records and you will see the best man for our president who says what he means and means what he says.

Hmmm. Duncan Hunter is afraid of an "emerging China". Note to Hunter, it's going to happen whether you like it or not. He's a fear-mongerer. And Fred Thompson, I think saying his name alone doesn't require elaboration. The man does not have an ability to speak to the country as a whole. Just the southern rednecks...

Apparently people in South Carolina want to send their young to Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries for 100 years or more. McCain will be slaughtered in the general election by Hillary because this country does not want more pointless war. The only way the GOP has a prayer this fall is with an anti-war, anti-interventionist candidate. This is how Bush won in 2000, and this is the only way we will win and defeat Hillary in 2008.

Tampico Jack, add Huckabee to that list – he just doesn't know it yet. Reality will sink in sooner or later.

Congrats to McCain. The man has more integrity and experience than either of the two likely Democrat candidates....combined!!!

McCain basically won because Mr Thompson got a chunk of the old southern conservative vote which would of went to Huckabee if Thompson would not have been running.Its really a very minor victory for McCain since his 33% victory is even smaller than that if you want to consider support from Southern,Baptist Conservatives voters.Alot of those that voted for him were non South Carolinian natives,typically retires or those that moved to South Carolina for jobs from the Midwestern and Northern states, or as we call them " Yankees". Watch for Romney to actually take McCains state of Arizona, including New Mexico and most of the western states .

In the current media context, McCain gets a "huge win" and it might matter for a few days. It is interesting to note, however, that in the 2000 South Carolina primary, McCain won 42% of the vote with over 237,000 votes. Tonight he only got 33% with a little over 137,000 (as of 10:30 pm with 93% returns). With two thirds of Republican voters NOT voting for McCain, it might not be such a great victory after all.

Glad to see McCain win SC. He's the only one on the Republican side I can stomach. I still favor Obama in the general election, but if it comes down to Hillary vs McCain, I'll vote for McCain. If it's Hillary vs anyone else, I'll just stay home because it will be another lesser of two evils choice. The worst that can happen is that either Hillary will win and spend the next four years doling out political payback and covering up Bill's skirt-chasing, or that we'll get another ultra-right wing Republican religious nut job that thinks he has a direct pipeline to God. If Hillary wins nothing will get done, if any Republican but McCain wins he’ll spend the next four years trying to turn the country into 1950’s era Alabama.

I dont like McCain or Romney and I have alot of issues with Huckabee but I would vote for them over Hillary or Obama any day of the week.

Its sad that Thompson wont win, he was the most Conservative candidate by far.

Congrats to McCain on winning this crucial state that may boost your odds on getting the nomination dramatically... I smell a McCain/Huckabee ticket. Here's to Mitt Romney hopefully being questioned on all of his flip-flopping, his pandering to party lines, and on his "listen to my words" confrontation... this isn't the Olympics anymore, Mitt... and quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of hearing about them from you.

You folks have missed a critical point. John McCain lost Nevada, even though he has represented Arizona (a neighboring state) for many years. And he didn't even come in second! I think that deserves mention, don't you?

In 2000, the Republican Party slammed McCain. Great Comeback! Whatever your views are, you have to give McCain credit for his service. He is a National Hero.

"....we don't need a theocracy in the USA." I agree. but being born again doesn't guarantee good presidency either way. Jimmy Carter was a born again, and he was one of the worst, although George Washington was too and he was a good one.

O.K., we no have had enough states to start weeking out the candidates. On the GOP side, Hunter is dropping out, Guilliani and Paul need too. Thompson can hang around for the Florida vote.
On the Demo side, it is a two horse race now, and Edwards needs to join the yankees who split and endorse somebody and go home to his sick wife.

It is a sad day for republicans when this anti republican, republican wins in south carolina. If he is the part's nominee, I will stay home and not vote!

I have always been a republican, but I can't vote for McCain if he is nominated.
Any other would be OK.
I will vote Democrat.
We have enough Problems,
(I may add to them voting Democrat)

Huckabee WILL win the Presidency if enough people wise up about the fair tax. Read the book!! If the economy is the main issue, why haven't we heard anything from the other candidates that could actually work? The Fair Tax is the fastest way to heal the economy, put the power back where it belongs, make us far less attractive to illegal aliens and get this country back on track.

Thank goodness McCain won... He's the only level-headed one I can see in either field.

HUCK SHOULD DROP OUT. If he can't win South Carolina, he can't win anywhere. There have been four races since Iowa and Huck has placed poorly in all four. It looks like he was a one hit wonder.

Thank you South Carolina!

I don't undersstand how Rudy Giuliani is allowed to basket-hang in Florida while the other candidates brake their necks stumping the campaign trail. The Republican leadership should publicly take him to task.

As far as the Republicans go, NO state is more important than any other. McCain would like you to believe that somehow his very narrow victory means more than Romney's overwhelming victory in NV. I don't buy it. This primary season is about delegates. And who has more? Romney is smart – he knows what's important. The media may cover IA, NH, and SC more, but those states are no more important than MI and NV. Romney can win – and he can actually do what's most needed for the nation – get the economy back on track.

Hilary Clinton, as poll after poll shows, will not beat John McCain in the federal election...Democrats who really want a change better start thinking about that..

McCain is a statist just like Hillary. He might be a slightly better president than her, but not much. Adios to two great men; Duncan Hunter and Fred Thompson.

To Paul supporters,

I like Romney, but am very pleased to hear Ron Paul's ideas. I think many Republicans think his views about the Iraq war are similar to the Democrats. Of course they are not the same at all.

The Democrats love our Government to stick its nose into every other country's business, just not when a Republican does it. They said nothing when Clinton bombed the hell out of Yugoslavia, even though that country never posed a threat to us. The Democrats have "selective outrage."

Because of our dependence on a Mideast oil supply, Bush attempted to ensure we would not have all our eggs in one basket, depending solely on the precarious Saudi Arabian Royal Family. Until we become energy efficient, which is many years away, it is an understandable strategy. Just think what would happen to our economy if the Saudi people overthrew their oppressive King. Most of the Saudis hate us. (9/11)

Eventually we will come around to implementing many of Ron Paul's ideas. Especially his economic ones.

At this time however, I think Romney is our best shot at beating the misguided Democrats.

McCain is probably the only candidate who can save this country from Hillaryism.

Wonderful news! If this trend keeps up nationwide we'll be able to keep the war going in Iraq for years (decades?) to come and maybe get to blow up a lot of destitute people in other countries whose governments own things we want. Aren't conservatives fun?

Come on folks, think about what it's like to live outside of the US and stop these stupid wars!

Why havent the canadates addressed education that much, not just grades k-12 but higher education" collage".If a canadate wants my vote, they need to make it easy for the younger generation to learn. We already pay taxes, why should we have to pay for our childern to go to collage, I can understand paying for "room&board" but state run collage's that are state & federaly funded should be free for at least a general degree. Private collage's and advace degree's should be the responceability of the student. The current status in Education is "no child left behind"and that is a great thing but why shouldnt it be "no American left behind". ???

Not a Republican but props to Mccain...Glad Huckabee lost we don't need a theocracy in the USA.

Economey Romney is the BIG WINNER today and he said JOBS JOBS JOBS.

Huckabee is Born again, but I need to work again.

McCain wants WAR, but I need a job not a WAR

Hillary's group is always an Angry bunch they think we owe her a crown.

I'm still not convinced...