Super Tuesday was last night, and given that many west coast states were involved, it was a long one. Every candidate on both sides took at least five states, except Ron Paul.

Republicans:

Huckabee cleaned up in the south securing Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and West Virginia. He lost by a close margin to John McCain in Missouri. In a very slow night for Mitt Romney, he took 7 Super Tuesday states, four of them late. John McCain claimed 9 states last night.

Huckabee and Romney made a good showing, however, it wasn’t enough. John McCain won in the states with “Winner take all” delegates, AND in the three states with the largest number of delegates, McCain came out on top. These were Illinois, New York, and the largest, California. McCain won where he needed to. Interestingly however, McCain barley won his home state of Arizona, and experts say it has to do with his lax position on immigration.

Even still, if McCain had momentum going into Super Tuesday, he does not have it anymore. Huckabee is the momentum winner of last night. And Romney is the clear loser, with McCain in the middle somewhere. The republican race is by no measure finished, and this primary could go well into March before any candidate has enough delegates.

Democrats:

Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton split almost everything. Obama took his home state of Illinois, while Clinton took the other two large prizes, New York and California.

Obama won 14 states, include many states that vote republican in general elections, proving that he might be able to compete with a republican there come November.

Obama also was popular with women, and Clinton popular with white men! Yes, it’s not a typo, Clinton attracted more male voters on Super Tuesday than Obama!

Clinton went home winning 8 states. Both candidates are neck and neck in delegate numbers, and this race could take even longer than the republican race. I do not see a clear momentum shift in this race, they are in a dead heat.

Candidates on both sides gave “victory” speeches, none of them conceding defeat. They are all poised to go on.