RICHMOND-After tough losses in the Michigan and Arizona primaries, Texas Gov. George W. Bush handily defeated Arizona Sen. John McCain in Virginia's first open Republican primary.
Bush received 53 percent of all votes while McCain picked up 44 percent. Since Virginia operates under a winner-takes-all-format, Bush will receive the votes for all 56 of Virginia's convention delegates.
Many had expected Virginia to be a stronghold for Bush, but after losing in Michigan, there was some doubt as to how Bush would fare in yesterday's primary.
"The race has been kind of tight," said Quinton Kindall, executive director of the Bush campaign in Virginia.
Despite the efforts of the McCain campaign, Democratic voters were not a problem for Bush in the Virginia primary.
"Most people who turned out were Republicans," Virginia Attorney General Mark L. Earley said.
After his decisive victory in Virginia, members of the Bush camp said they hope to gain momentum for next week's Super Tuesday primaries. Yesterday Bush was in Ohio, already beginning the next phase of his campaign.
At a victory party held in the Richmond Mariott, Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III and members of the Virginia legislature spoke on behalf of Bush. Marvin Bush, the candidate's brother, also attended the event.
"The McCain Straight Talk Express has run out of gas tonight," Gilmore said. "Virginia has turned the political tide of the nation to Gov. George Bush."
Many of Virginia's GOP legislators endorsed Bush's bid for the Republican nomination.
They said he has proven himself to be a leader with his political record in Texas.
"We appreciated the record he had in Texas," Earley said. Others said they see similarities between Bush's reforms in Texas and Gilmore's reforms in the Commonwealth.
They said they hope Bush will bring some Virginia issues to the national forefront if he becomes president, including tax cuts, welfare reform and improvements in education.
"Virginians felt pretty good about George Bush because he has done a lot of things that we have done in Virginia," said Vince Wilkins Jr., speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Some voters also said they supported Bush because of his political record.
"I like what he did when he was governor of Texas," said Midlothian resident Kem Winesette.
Others said they supported Bush because of his stances on issues.
"Bush's whole platform just seems a little more solid and sound" than McCain's, said Midlothian resident Steve Bell.
"I'm very impressed with the way he has given his read on the issues," said Richmond resident Betty Kinder.
Now that Bush has secured the Virginia primary, his campaign is looking forward to March 7, when several states, including California and New York, will hold primaries.
"A win as big as this one will give George W. Bush a big boost," said Ray Allen Jr., senior advisor for the Bush campaign in Virginia.
"It shows that his message is getting through," Allen said.
Washington state also held its primary yesterday. At press time last night, Bush led McCain, but it was too close to call with only 7 percent of precincts reporting.
Bush also won 14 delegates to the Republican nominating convention in the North Dakota caucus yesterday.
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