01/17/2008
The field for President was shaken up after the Michigan presidential primary held Jan. 15. After second place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney secured a "must-win" victory in his effort to secure the Republican nomination for President.
While voters could chose a Democratic candidate, the Democratic National Committee chose to deny Michigan delegates to the nominating convention in August, as Michigan had broken party rules by holding their primary prior to Feb. 5. Similarly, the Republican National Committee vacated half of the Republican delegates.
Romney was born in Michigan, and his father was elected governor three times after serving as an automotive executive. Romney took the lead in the primary with 39 percent of the vote. Thirty percent favored Arizona Sen. John McCain, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee received 18 percent of the vote.
The next fight for Republicans will be in the South Carolina primary, which will be held Jan. 19. The first southern primary, many anticipate it will be an opportunity for Huckabee and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson. Recent polls show McCain has a slight lead over Huckabee, though South Carolina was the state that derailed his 2000 presidential campaign. Nevada will also hold its caucuses Jan. 22, which will be a crucial test for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton as the race will be largely determined by the labor and Hispanic communities.
The dynamics of recent primaries show the importance of voter turnout and the weight that the 2008 presidential race carries for small-business owners across the United States. After Nevada and South Carolina, Florida will hold its primary Jan. 29. Feb. 5 brings Super Tuesday, when 24 states will hold their primaries. Stay tuned to NFIB.com/politics for election news and updates.
