House GOP backs McCain following latest sweep
WASHINGTON -- John McCain continued his unity tour Wednesday with endorsements from House Republican leaders who have clashed with him over the past.
"Clearly I've had some differences with Sen. McCain over the years," said House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio, but he endorsed him anyway because of his efforts to win in Iraq.
McCain spoke to the House Republican leadership at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, headquarters for the Republican National Committee.
GOP whip Roy Blunt of Missouri said he liked former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee but, "I believe this contest is over."
Blunt saluted McCain's ability to attract independents and "Reagan Democrats."
McCain swept Tuesday's "Potomac Primary" with a closer-than-expected victory in Virginia and easy wins in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
McCain's victory in Virginia was a relatively close one because of an outpouring of religious conservatives who backed Huckabee, underscoring the problems MCain faces in uniting the GOP.
"I'll tell you, I'm like a bad penny. I just keep turning up," Huckabee said on Larry King Tuesday night. "Republicans are still looking for somebody conservative they can get behind, and the strength that we had in Virginia tonight shows that there's — there's a lot of room left in this Republican process."
The Arizona senator said while he'd like to see Huckabee leave the race because it would make his unity effort in the Republican party easier, he respects Huckabee's decision to campaign on.
"I appreciate the fact that Gov. Huckabee is still in this race," McCain said. "He is a man of integrity and he has every right to continue this race as long as he wants to."
In the meantime, McCain said he will be going about getting "more support" and "more momentum" for his front-running effort.
McCain said he is also turning to the fall election, saying there will be "stark differences" over Iraq, taxes, and health care policy with the "big government, big spending Democrats."
