Backgrounder: Facts About Michigan Primary

<title>Backgrounder: Facts About Michigan Primary</title>
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<br>Backgrounder: Facts About Michigan Primary
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        <h4>Backgrounder: Facts About Michigan Primary</h4>
        <p><i>Jan 16, 11:45 AM</i></p>
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        Backgrounder: Facts about Michigan primary <P> WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won the Michigan Republican primary Tuesday night. <P> Although the vote count is not completed, all major media outlets are projecting a Romney' win. <P> According to preliminary results, Romney narrowly beat Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona and enjoyed a wider margin over former governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. <P> The race was called for Romney by CNN and Fox News Channel shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time (100 GMT Wednesday). <P> The Michigan primary has little significance for Democrats, since Hillary Clinton is the only major candidate to be put on Michigan's primary ballot, and where she is sure to beat outsider candidates Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel. <P> That leaves Republicans with a more interesting race on Tuesday. <P> The Republican primary is seen as a test of the strength of Romney, who grew up in Michigan and is the son of former Michigan Governor George Romney. <P> But Senator John McCain of Arizona won the state's Republican primary against George W. Bush in 2000 and was mounting a strong challenge to Romney in the first industrial state of the primary season. <P> What's at stake: Thirty Republican delegates and zero Democratic delegates. Because the state broke the rules of both major political parties to move up its primary date, it will be stripped of half its GOP delegates and all of its Democratic delegates. However, state party officials believe they will regainthose delegates at the national conventions. <P> Michigan's voting history: Michigan has picked the winner in every presidential race but two since 1980. <P> John Kerry won the state in the 2004 presidential race but lostto U.S. President George W. Bush nationwide. <P> Al Gore won the state in the 2000 presidential race, but also lost the national race to Bush. <P> (c) 2008 Xinhua News Agency - CEIS. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
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Backgrounder: Facts About Michigan Primary<br>
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