McCain supporters urge Republicans to unite
LANSING — Michigan Republicans sought to unite their organization behind Sen. John McCain on Saturday, elected a slate of delegates to the national convention that will likely be packed with McCain supporters.
But the campaign of Mike Huckabee, who has continued his quest despite having almost no chance at winning the nomination, fought efforts by McCain and Michigan primary winner Mitt Romney to deliver Romney’s former delegates to McCain. Huckabee’s campaign — aided by a trip to Lansing by the candidate’s wife, Janet — said they believe they succeeded in electing at least five Huckabee supporters to the state’s delegation, adding to the two the former Arkansas governor won by virtue of his performance in the Jan. 15 primary.
But, the McCain campaign said it has 56 of the 60 delegates, which would leave Huckabee with four.
Huckabee’s decision to remain in the race, and to contest every delegate in states such as Michigan, appeared aimed less at winning than at slowing McCain’s march to the 1,191-delegeate total he needs to clinch the nomination.
With Romney and McCain joining forces, most of the state’s GOP machinery was backing efforts to close party ranks behind the Arizona senator.
“We need your help,” Holly Hughes, a McCain
supporter and one of the state’s representatives on the Republican National
Committee, implored the 3,000 or so activists gathered here. “We need to come
together or we all lose.”
