The 2008 South Carolina Republican presidential primary was held on January 19, with 24 delegates at stake.
The
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
took half of South Carolina's 47 delegates away from them because the state committee moved its Republican primary before February 5.
It was held on the same day as the
Nevada Republican caucuses, 2008
The 2008 Nevada Republican presidential caucuses was held on January 19, the same day as the 2008 South Carolina Republican primary, with 31 delegates at stake. Mitt Romney was the winner in Nevada with 51% of the votes, with Ron Paul in second ...
.
The primary has become one of several key early state nominating contests in the process of choosing the nominee of the Republican party for the November 2008 election for
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
. It has historically been more important for the Republican Party than for the Democratic Party; from its inception in 1980 through the
election of 2000, the winner of the Republican presidential primary has gone on to win the nomination. As of
2008, the primary has cemented its place as the "First in the
South" primary for both parties.
This state's 24 delegates would be awarded on a "Winner-Takes-All" basis. 12 Delegates for the Statewide winner and 12 delegates awarded on a District-winner basis awarding 2 delegates for each of the states then 6 Congressional districts.
Polling
As of January 19,
RealClearPolitics reported that the average support from polls placed McCain in the lead with 26.9%, followed by Huckabee with 25.9%, Romney with 14.7%, Thompson with 14.6%, Paul with 4.4%, and Giuliani with 3.4%.
Results
Huckabee was for weeks leading in the state but lost by a 14,743 vote margin. He did manage to win Congressional districts 3, 4 and 5 in the North of the state earning him a total of 6 delegates.
won the statewide primary earning him 12 Delegates
as well as Congressional Districts 1, 2 and 6. earning him an additional 6 delegates for a total of 18.
Candidate withdrew his bid for the nomination prior to the reporting of the primary.
On January 22, 2008 after a poor showing
Fred Thompson dropped out of the race.
Duncan Hunter did so too.
Results of prior primaries
*
1980:
Ronald Reagan won with 54%, defeating runner-up
John Connally
John Bowden Connally Jr. (February 27, 1917June 15, 1993) was an American politician. He served as the 39th governor of Texas and as the 61st United States secretary of the Treasury. He began his career as a Democrat and later became a Republic ...
.
*
1984: Uncontested (Reagan was the incumbent president and was re-nominated).
*
1988:
George H. W. Bush won with 49%, defeating runner-up
Bob Dole.
*
1992:
George H. W. Bush won with 68%, defeating runner-up
Pat Buchanan.
*
1996:
Bob Dole won with 45%, defeating runner-up
Pat Buchanan.
*
2000:
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
won with 53%, defeating runner-up
John McCain.
*
2004: Uncontested (Bush was the incumbent president and was re-nominated).
See also
*
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
From January 3 to June 3, 2008, voters of the Republican Party chose their nominee for president in the 2008 United States presidential election. Senator John McCain of Arizona was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections a ...
*
South Carolina primary
The South Carolina presidential primary is an open primary election which has become one of several key early-state presidential primaries in the process of the Democratic and Republican Parties choosing their respective general election nominee ...
*
South Carolina Democratic primary, 2008
The 2008 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary took place on January 26, 2008. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois won the primary's popular vote by a 28.9% margin.
For both parties in 2008, South Carolina's was the first primary in a Sou ...
References
External links
Election Center 2008:Primary Results for South Carolina
{{U.S. presidential primaries
South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
2008 South Carolina elections
2008