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Super Tuesday: Clinton, McCain lead in primaries

Twenty-four states reported to vote in the most important election before the November presidential election to indicate which Democratic and Republican candidate would be likely to receive the nomination of his or her respective party.

As of press time Tuesday, the polls reflected that while Illinois Sen. Barack Obama led in states, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton had the most projected delegate counts in the Democratic primaries.

"I want Obama to win," music education senior Kyle Stahl said. "I really just don’t like Hillary Clinton. (It’s) kind of like the lesser of two evils."

The delegate count is based on the Electoral College, in which a candidate who gains a majority of the votes in a state wins all of the electoral votes or delegates in that state. The winner of the most electoral votes is then considered the winner regardless of the amount of states won.

In the Republican primaries, Arizona Sen. John McCain led in projected delegate counts, according to The Associated Press delegate count.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gained 10 states and 200 delegates, while Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee gained six states and 142 delegates, according to The New York Times and the AP delegate count.

"I would support McCain," business administration junior Ky Nguyen said. "My reason (is) not really good, but I just don’t like Romney. I guess Romney seems kind of fake to me."

The New York Times reported that McCain gained 10 states and 504 delegates in the primary elections while Clinton gained 11 states and 626 delegates.

"I’m a Democrat, I like Hillary Clinton," fine arts senior Alexandra Quevedo said. "I think she has experience… and has been in the White House (already). I believe in everything she represents. We want a woman in the White House, but a smart woman. She knows what she’s doing."

Obama received 13 states and 531 delegates, according to the New York Times and the AP delegate count.

In a non-scientific and random poll of 100 UH students conducted by Daily Cougar staff, 64 percent of students predicted that Obama would win the Democratic primaries. McCain was expected to win the Republican primaries by 75 percent of students.

Students also predicted Obama would win by 40 percent and McCain would by win by 28 percent.

"I’m very pleased if (Obama) makes it. He’ll be on the ticket (and) we’ll have a president who cares about the rest of the country," chemistry graduate student Oussama Zenasni said. "(The) middle class is going to live in a better country."

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