Live Blogging: 2012 GOP Michigan and Arizona Primaries
Posted: February 28, 2012 Filed under: 2012 elections, 2012 presidential campaign, 2012 primaries, Democratic Politics, Elections, Live Blog, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Republican presidential politics, Voter Ignorance, We are so F'd | Tags: Arizona primary, Michigan primary, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul 40 CommentsShhhh….
Did you hear that?
Sounds like the drumming of thousands of religious right wingnut feet as they get out the vote in the lands of automobile factories and Mexican immigrants.
(Okay, that immigrant jab may have been a bit too much…)
CNN is reporting this:
Breaking News: Early exit polls in Michigan’s primary show frustration with the GOP field and hints of mischief among Democratic voters.
They are live blogging the results here: Live blog of Michigan and Arizona primaries – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs
So far, TRENDING: Michigan mischief: ‘A deal with the devil’ – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs
A longtime liberal radio host asking Democratic listeners to vote for Rick Santorum in Michigan’s Republican primary told CNN Tuesday he loves making mischief.
After spending nearly all of his three hour program encouraging Democrats to get out and vote for Santorum Tuesday, Tony Trupiano made no apologies for his behavior.
I guess the big orange site is not the only one with the “hilarious” plan to get Santorum nominated.
“Because Rick Santorum is doing as well as he is doing here in the polls, we could actually take some serious delegates away from him [Mitt Romney],” Trupiano said. “What that really does is it gives America a little more time to get to know these candidates. And don’t for a minute tell me we haven’t learned a lot more about all of them in the last six weeks. What more can we learn six weeks from now?”
From one of the sheep:
At a polling station in Dearborn Heights, Crystal Larson said her vote for Santorum made her “feel like I made a deal with the devil.”
“Voting for Santorum goes against everything I believe in and everything I’ve ever stood for in my life and to vote for him takes a lot of guts I think,” Larson said.
TPM has this to offer: Will Mitt Go Quietly? | Talking Points Memo
This morning I got this email from TPM Reader SL …
I don’t really hear anyone talking about what Romney would do if (he loses Michigan) and the GOP leaders look for a white horse candidate. Does anyone really think he would just step aside for a new nominee or hand over his delegates at a brokered convention?
He has been running for this job for years. He has plenty of money. They cant offer him a bigger job, financial power, etc. So what could the party leaders offer him to step aside. It wouldn’t be “wait until next time” because stepping aside would show he is damaged goods politically.
It sure looks like Michigan will be a close finish so either way the conversation of a white horse will likely get louder.
I would love to see you address this in an article.
SL’s question, I think, all but answers itself. And this is basically why the whole White Knight fantasy is so preposterous. Go quietly. Mitt? Like he did when it was time for Newt to take it away from him? Or Santorum? As I wrote a few days ago, “Okay, cool. I’m still ahead in delegates. I’ve got tons of money. I’m not sure what else I’ll do with my life at this point beside do this. But sure, I’m just going to step aside now and become the only mulligan nominee in modern history.”
Hmmm….so would Jeb Bush riding on a white horse be the MacGuffin? (Alfred Hitchcock reference.)
You can follow TPM’s results here:
Michigan Republican Presidential Primary | TPM Elections
Arizona Republican Presidential Primary | TPM Elections
Let’s go ahead and post a couple more links, these are from Huffpo:
MI Primary Election 2012: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum Battle To The End
Who’s Ahead – Huffington Post 2012 Election Dashboard
Mitt Romney Blasts Rick Santorum For Robocalls, Labels Him An ‘Economic Lightweight’
And Huffpo’s live blog:
Michigan Primary 2012 & Arizona Primary 2012: Live Updates
That should keep you all busy, stick around for the fun…I have a shitload of laundry to iron…so I’ll be here all night!
**Updated to add more links for you, I guess those links above weren’t enough for some people:
2012 Michigan Primary – Results | Politics | Fox News
2012 Arizona Primary – Results | Politics | Fox News
Breaking Politics News, Political Headlines, Stories and Video – CBS News
Politics News: Latest Political News and U.S. Elections Coverage – ABC News
Complete Republican Presidential primary Results – Politics – Decision 2012 – msnbc.com
Results from Michigan and Arizona – Live Results – Election 2012 – NYTimes.com
US elections 2012 | World news | The Guardian
Oops…did I just pull an Obama? Yup, I compromised and put links to Fox News…
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
grayslady
mablue2
JJ Lopez aka Minkoff Minx
NW Luna
peggysue22
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
I just love that GOP “Roach Coach!”
so you ask us to go over to TPM or Huff’n’Stuff? You’ve got to be kidding…..
No, that was why I put links to CNN too…you can go where ever you like…
2012 Michigan Primary – Results | Politics | Fox News
2012 Arizona Primary – Results | Politics | Fox News
Results from Michigan and Arizona – Live Results – Election 2012 – NYTimes.com
US elections 2012 | World news | The Guardian
There are a few more to tickle your fancy…
7:25 p.m. ET – @SamFeistCNN: Could the Dem. Mischief make a difference? Watch Wayne County. Could help Santorum win delegates in CD 12-13. #CNNelections
7:14 p.m. ET – @PaulBegala: Can anyone recall another candidate having as much trouble in a home state primary as Romney’s having in MI? I can’t.
7:10 p.m. ET – CNN exit polling showed 53% of Michigan primary voters were tea part supporters compared with 28% who said they were neutral toward the grassroots movement and 17% who opposed it. Sixty-two percent of voters said they did not consider themselves Evangelical Christians, while 38% said they did.
Rachel just said they’ll be “characterizing” the MI results after this break. Part of the states polls just closed. I hope Santorum prayed well today.
Wait, the polls will close in three mins.
Romney will win Arizona, Michigan is too close to call.
I thought that would be the case, I have a feeling it is going to be a long night.
Ron Paul is ahead of Newt in Michigan…I don’t know that made me laugh…
I imagine Romney will win Michigan and still look weak.
Based on exit polls, Romney could win by about 3%. That’s not good enough.
He is the weakest candidate in I’ve seen since Dukkakis or Kerry. I don’t even think McCain was that weak and he was pretty hapless in many ways.
It’s Romney 40% to Santorum 36% in MI right now, but difference is only about 20,000 votes.
A lot of Romney’s lead in the Detroit area is coming form absentee ballots, but it’s known that Santorum did better than Romney with election day voters.
I don’t understand how the delegates are assigned in MI. Anyone know? As of now, 9pm Central, Romney’s listed as 40%, Sanctimoniorum as 36%. Yet delegates, they’re saying R will get something like 115, & S around 35 or something. So it’s obviously not proportional, and yet also not winner-take-all. The Repubs wouldn’t be using a logarithmic scale, would they? 😯
It’s winner take all in Michigan. Romney has won. The only thing we don’t know for sure yet is by how much.
same with Arizona so Mitt only has to squeak through on both
I goofed. They haven’t called MI for Romney yet. He’s leading by a bit. Sorry about that.
Michigan delegates are apportioned 2 per congressional district but Arizona is winner take all.
I was just reading that over at CNN.
So, I guess Sanctimoniorum must have won very few districts, but by a wide margin in those districts in order to be within a whisker of Rombot.
What a crew. What a crew.
You may get a kick out of this:
Open Thread | Crooks and Liars
And this: Mitt Romney’s Victory Speech: ‘We Didn’t Win By A Lot, But We Won By Enough’ | Mediaite
Wow, that is inspiring.
I had to turn off Santorum’s speech.
I thought because Santorum was speaking that he was conceding.
For some reason I don’t feel crushed under the weight of big government regulations. Maybe I’m just insensitive?
I’m so glad I turned him off! When he started talking about how his mom worked all her married life, I shut it off.
I made it a couple of minutes longer 😉
“I don’t feel crushed under the weight of big government regulations. Maybe I’m just insensitive?”
Hahahaha. Srsly.
63% of precincts reporting
Last updated less than a minute ago.
Mitt Romney
284,250
41.7%
Rick Santorum
254,268
37.3%
Ron Paul
78,643
11.5%
Newt Gingrich
45,376
6.7%
Per TPM
They were saying Romney was gaining, but it looks like Santorum gained a few points in the last few mins.
MSNBC called it for Romney.
TPM just called it Romney
At least he didn’t loose his “home state” but it sure wasn’t a very enthusiastic win.
AP is calling MI for Romney
I don’t think that “JFK made me want to puke” endeared him to many Catholics in MI.
It was the Kidd Rock endorsement that did it
I’m willing to go along with that.
I think you are right Dak…
More fun that the MI primary …
Reuters Exclusive: U.S. conducting criminal Libor probe
I fell asleep on the sofa just after 9. I missed all the “excitement.” Is anyone else getting tired of all the prognostications based on polls taken by asking 12 people if they will vote & for whom? I wonder how many people asked are just lying for the fun of it when they get a call from a pollster. Personally, I’d just as soon see more pictures of Wonk’s new babies & dak’s new kitty too!