Romney seeks to place first in his native state
DETROIT -- Michigan voters are heading to the polls Tuesday for a primary that features a battle among a native son, a returning champion and a Southern wild card.
Mitt Romney is looking for a much-needed victory in Michigan, where he was born and his father, George, was a popular governor. John McCain, who won last week's New Hampshire primary, wants to repeat his 2000 win here. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, winner of the Iowa caucuses Jan. 3, has said he'll finish strong.
About 20% of eligible voters were expected to turn out across the state, where freezing temperatures prevailed and snow was forecast.
"If Romney wins, all of a sudden he's a tier-one candidate," independent Michigan pollster Ed Sarpolus said. "If McCain wins, the national Republican inner circle begins to want to have him as the candidate." Sarpolus cast Huckabee as an underdog.
Coming off second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, Romney told USA TODAY on Monday that Michigan is a "want-to-win" contest for him. He took the little-noticed Wyoming caucuses Jan. 5.
"Four states won't choose the nominee of our party," he said, vowing to take his campaign "at least" to the mega-primary Feb. 5, when New York, California and other large states pick nominees.
Romney noted that he has also raised "more money than any other Republican running for office." The former Massachusetts governor raised nearly $63 million through Sept. 30, the most recent reports available, including $17 million he has loaned to his campaign.
"If I lost among Republicans, that would tell me one thing. If, on the other hand, the same thing happened as happened in 2000, where Democrats gave the nomination to John McCain, well, why, that might be another," Romney said Tuesday on CNN.
Polls in Michigan show a tight race between Romney and McCain, who have both emphasized economic issues in a state sagging under the nation's highest jobless rate, 7.4%.
"It's been tough here in the state of Michigan," McCain said Monday at a Kalamazoo rally. He said he would try to turn Michigan's auto industry into a lab for research into alternative energy sources.
