From The Hotline Latest Edition for Wednesday, May 14,2008

NEBRASKA (2/9 DEM CAUCUSES; 5/13 PRIMARY)

They Had A Primary Last Night?

Wed. May 14, 2008


Barack Obama won the 5/13 NE Dem primary, defeating Hillary Clinton and Mike Gravel. No delegates were at stake, those having been picked at the 2/9 Dem caucuses. On the GOP side, John McCain defeated Ron Paul. Results, with 100% reporting (AP, 5/14):

NE Dem Primary               NE GOP Primary
           Votes  %age                   Votes  %age
Obama     45,952  49.33%     McCain    117,529  86.98%
Clinton   43,357  46.54      Paul       17,587  13.02
Gravel     3,852   4.13
TOTAL:    93,161             TOTAL:    135,116

Obama beat Clinton again in NE, "adding a symbolic victory" to his win in 2/9's caucuses (Olson, AP, 5/13). The primary "was ignored" by both camps and by the national news media. But it wasn't going unnoticed in the home of NE Clinton chair Judy Monaghan. Monaghan said there is still hope for her. Monaghan: "People haven't written her off. This is going to energize her supporters. I think there's still an opening. It's a narrow window, but it's an opening." While Obama had won 61 of NE's 93 counties in the caucuses, Clinton "carried most counties" on 5/13, winning 63. Nearly all the counties where results flipped were in rural parts of the state. A 4K vote victory margin in Douglas County "was largely responsible" or Obama's statewide win.

Univ. of NE prof. Randall Atkins said the primary vote "does not necessarily mean" Obama has seen a drop in support since 2/9. Adkins said it's "more of a reflection on the difference between the caucuses and a primary." Caucuses "tend to attract" more activist and better educated voters. Primaries "tend to draw" a broader cross-section of the electorate. Adkins said the results "will probably fuel debate" over whether NE Dems should continue to hold caucuses in the future (Cordes, Omaha World-Herald, 5/14).

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