Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) won the presidential primary in Massachusetts handily yesterday, even after last-minute polls had clouded the certainty of her victory.
Garnering 57 percent of the vote to Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) 40, Clinton reasserted her firm hold over the state that had, until recently, been considered unquestionable Hillary country.
"Tonight we are hearing the voices of people across America - people of all colors, all faiths and all walks of life," Clinton said at a rally in her home state of New York. She spoke to supporters after most of the 22 states up for grabs last night in Democratic caucuses or primaries had been decided.
Clinton and Obama both picked up key states, but the balance began to sway in her favor as the results from California trickled in.
Clinton ended the night with a commanding win in California, a state with 441 delegates. At press time, the New York senator had won 54 percent to Obama's 34, with 22 percent of precincts reporting. California is not a winner-take-all state.
Despite his loss in the Golden State, Obama won most major Midwestern states, including the delegate-heavy Minnesota and Illinois, his home state. He also rode heavy support among African Americans to wide victories in Alabama and Georgia.
Clinton, meanwhile, won her home state of New York by a wide margin, and reeled in neighboring New Jersey by a similarly decisive tally. But Obama won Connecticut, a haven of white liberal voters.
Speaking to supporters in Chicago before most of the California results had been reported, Obama said, "It is good to be home."
He spoke confidently, telling the cheering audience, "Our time has come ... Our movement is real, and change is coming to America."
During her speech last night, Clinton also portrayed herself as a strong candidate ready to roll to victory in the presidential elections, and ready to lead the country as commander-in-chief. "I won't let anyone swiftboat this country's future," she said, referring to the ad hominem attacks that contributed to Sen. John Kerry's (D-Mass.) downfall in the 2004 presidential race against President George Bush.
Clinton vowed to "stand up to the oil companies and the oil producing countries," and to "provide health care ... for every single man, woman and child."
Looking ahead, both candidates last night appeared poised to continue their campaigns after finishing virtually tied in the battle for delegates. Clinton has now won nine primaries and caucuses, while Obama won 11. The next three Democratic contests will occur on Saturday, when Nebraska and Washington will hold caucuses, and Louisiana will have its primary.
On the local front in yesterday's Massachusetts primary, Clinton garnered strong support from Medford residents, winning 61 percent of voters to Obama's 36. Obama, meanwhile, won Somerville by a slimmer margin, taking 51 percent to Clinton's 46.
Many Medford residents pulled in to Tufts' Gantcher Center, converted into a polling place for the day, to cast ballots yesterday. Of the roughly 30 voters who spoke to the Daily, a sturdy majority of Democrats supported Clinton. Almost all cited the economy or health care as their top political concern, and many reasoned that Clinton's greater political experience led them to support her.
"I really need to have [health care] and the only reason I'm still working is because I need to have it," Medford resident and Clinton supporter Joyce Enwright told the Daily. "I just think she's better qualified. She's been there," Enwright said of Clinton.
For Medford voter Gail Landry, the economy was the most important issue. "It's scary seeing all these foreclosures," the Clinton supporter told the Daily.
Landry felt that Clinton was the most qualified to handle the nation's struggling economy, and also expressed excitement at the prospect of electing a female president. "History's being made here," she said. "Who would think I would live to see this? This is so cool."
Warden Sharon Bourque, who oversaw the voting station at Gantcher, said she was pleased to see a very high turnout, despite morning rain. "I'm surprised," she said. "Usually, [with] city elections, government and state elections, we don't have that much of a turnout. This one here, you got a lot of the residents coming out."
In Somerville, Ward 6 Precinct 3 Captain Albert Paquet said that he saw an unusually high number of young voters turning out in the pro-Obama district. "We've had a lot of young people," said Paquet, who oversaw the voting at College Avenue United Methodist Church. "A lot of faces I haven't seen."
