McCain scores in Calif., N.Y., other big states

NBC affiliate WSAZ-TV of Huntington, W.Va., reported that Huckabee also would give three of those delegates to the campaign of Texas Rep. Ron Paul in exchange for his support, though a Huckabee spokeswoman denied such a deal. Huckabee looked to Arkansas and other Bible Belt states to help his White House hopes, and his home state, Alabama and Georgia delivered after his win in West Virginia.

"I think to vote for yourself for president of the United States is pretty overwhelming," Huckabee said as he cast a ballot in North Little Rock.

The vote in Arkansas was complicated by deadly weather. Tornadoes touched down in several parts of the state, causing at least 11 deaths. The power was knocked out briefly at a Little Rock convention hall that hosted a watch party for Huckabee.

"While we hope tonight is a time for us to celebrate election results, we are reminded that nothing is as important as the lives of these fellow Arkansans, and our hearts go out to their families," Huckabee said.

McCain and Romney added last-minute California campaign stops after a weekend Field Poll showed 15 percent of Republicans were still undecided. The state was the largest delegate prize on the GOP side, although it is not a winner-take-all contest for Republicans.  

Notable edge for McCain
Polling place interviews with voters suggested subtle shifts in the political landscape, potentially significant as the races push on through the campaign calendar.

Super Tuesday state dispatches Alabama: Huckabee, Obama win Arkansas: Clinton, Huckabee win Illinois: Obama routs Clinton Massachusetts: Romney, Clinton win New Jersey: McCain, Clinton win Tennessee: Clinton, Huckabee win West Virginia: Huckabee wins Romney, Obama take Utah Huckabee edges McCain, Romney in Ga. Obama captures Kansas

For the first time this year, McCain ran first in a few states among self-identified Republicans. As usual, he was running strongly among independents. Romney was getting the votes of about four in 10 people who described themselves as conservative. McCain was winning about one-third of that group, and Huckabee about one in five.

McCain won in New Jersey and Connecticut, where nearly half the voters were moderates and liberals who strongly support him. He also won in Illinois, a state dominated by conservative GOP voters, in part because Huckabee and Romney split most of the conservative vote, while the three rivals shared support from evangelicals.

Democrats and Republicans alike said the economy was their most important issue. Democrats said the war in Iraq ranked second and health care third. Republican primary voters said immigration was second most important after the economy, followed by immigration and the war in Iraq.

On the economy, the message from GOP voters was mixed. Those voters citing the economy as their top concern favored McCain, as did those citing Iraq and terrorism. Romney's advantage came with the one quarter who said illegal immigration was their No. 1 concern. But on a separate question, Romney was cited as the candidate most trusted to manage the economy.

The survey was conducted in 16 states by Edison Media Research and  International for NBC News, The Associated Press and the other television networks.

Video A contest of delegates Feb. 5: NBC's Chuck Todd explains that unlike the general election, primaries aren't won by candidates with the most states, but rather the most delegates. Nightly News

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour credited McCain for doing unexpectedly well in the Deep South.

Voting problems reported
There were scattered reports of voting problems in various states.

Eight precincts in Chicago had minor problems and a ninth was expected to stay open for several extra hours after misplaced voting equipment caused a nearly two-hour delay in opening the polls.

Georgia voters faced waits as long as 90 minutes because a new requirement that they present photo identification meant poll workers had to compare IDs against computerized registration records.

In Virginia, the problem was voters showing up a week early — the state's primary won't occur until Feb. 12. Yet the State Board of Elections had received hundreds of calls by noon, many from people wanting to know why their polling places were closed.  

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