Obama is Peninsula Democrats' overwhelming favorite; Paul shows strength in GOP ranks
The library of Port Angeles High School brims with participants in Saturdays Republican caucus. The caucus slightly favored Rep. Ron Paul in delegate count over national front-runner John McCain. -- Photo by Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News
By Jim Casey, Peninsula Daily News
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Illinois senator Obama took 442 of a possible 560 delegates about 70 percent who were elected at Democratic precinct caucuses in Clallam and Jefferson counties to attend county party conventions.
Clinton received 166 delegates across the Peninsula during the caucuses.
Meanwhile, Clallam County Republicans gave Paul a plurality of their delegates 47 out of a possible 184, or 26 percent and 45 for McCain.
Clallam County GOP also decided on 37 for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and 27 for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who dropped out of the race Thursday, with 28 uncommitted.
Jefferson County Republicans made Paul a respectable third-place finisher behind McCain and Huckabee, judging by the votes at the caucuses.
Ron Gregory, vice chairman of the county GOP Central Committee, said he didn't know how many delegates each candidate won, although he estimated that about 30 delegates will go the GOP county convention.
That meant no delegate totals for the two counties were available in the GOP races Saturday night.
2-to-1 for Obama
"Most precincts were better than 2 to 1" for Obama in unofficial tallies, said Nina Richards, chairwoman of the Clallam County Democratic Central Committee.
About 2,300 Democrats crowded 11 caucus locations in Clallam County, she said.
Obama captured 261 69 percent of the delegates. Clinton took 110. Seven delegates are uncommitted, and one is pledged to Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
The 379 delegates will attend the Democrats' county convention April 12 in the Port Angeles High School auditorium.
The date was moved from April 19 after organizers noted it was the eve of Passover.
In Jefferson County, Democratic officials weren't sure how many people attended caucuses, although Teri Nomura, county Democratic chairman, said more than 2,000 people may have voted in five precincts that caucused at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend.
Jefferson's 31 precincts chose 181 delegates 72 percent for Obama, 56 delegates for Clinton, eight uncommitted and five for Kucinich.
They will attend the county Democratic convention April 26 at Chimacum High School auditorium.
Crowded calendar
Democrats then will follow a complicated calendar of legislative district, congressional district and state conventions.
Eventually, 97 delegates from Washington will attend the Democratic national convention Aug. 25 to 28 in Denver.
Fifty-one of those delegates will be chosen through the caucus/convention process. The remaining 46 will be elected local, state and federal officials.
The Democratic presidential primary election on Feb. 19 will be a beauty contest with no impact on the conventions.
In the meantime Saturday, Clallam Republicans turned out 451 people in Forks, Port Angeles and Sequim, said David Cummins, assistant party chairman.
Successful GOP turnout
"It was a very, very successful turnout for people who were interested in Republican politics this year," Cummins said.
The Clallam County Republicans will hold their county convention May 8 at Carrie Blake Park in Sequim.
The delegates will choose 21 delegates for the state convention in Spokane during the Memorial Day weekend.
In Jefferson County, 164 Republicans gave 61 votes 37 percent to McCain, 41 to Huckabee, 39 to Paul, and 10 to Romney. Thirteen people were uncommitted.
They chose about 30 delegates to their county convention April 12 in a location that has yet to be chosen, according to Ron Gregory, vice chairman of the county GOP Central Committee.
He was unable to tally how many delegates to the county convention each candidate won, although they will be awarded proportionately to the vote totals.
"The Huckabee numbers were surprising," said Gregory.
"It shows that he's a contender. Now is he a winner?
"I think some people are going to be surprised at that percentage."
Gregory attributed Paul's finish to "some very good groundwork by activists."
Eventually, 40 Republican delegates from Washington half of them still to be chosen according to results of the Feb. 19 primary election will go to the GOP national convention Sept. 1 to 4 in Minneapolis.
________
Reporter Jim Casey can be reached at 360-417-3538 or at jim.casey@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: February 09. 2008 9:00PM