Poker Players Give Ron Paul His Best Showing Yet in Washington State

With 21 percent of the vote in Washington State's Saturday Republican Presidential Caucus, Ron Paul enjoyed his best showing yet.  In fact, the declared winner - John McCain - walked off with 26 percent.  Huckabee had 24 percent to make Paul's third place finish only within 5 percentage points of the winner. 

The real winner in the Washington State Caucus was actually "Uncommitted" with 30 percent of the vote total.  Many Ron Paul supporters were said to have voted under "Uncommitted" in order to gain more delegates.

Washington State's poker playing community came out en masse to vote for Ron Paul, who supports legalized online poker and sports betting.  Washington residents were deprived of betting on last weekend's Super Bowl as the current state administration passed a law that makes betting online a Class C felony equivalent to that of a child molester.  It is the only state in the U.S. to make placing a bet on the Web a criminal offense.  

Saturday's Caucuses and Primaries demonstrated what a precarious situation the Republican party is in.  Jonathan Martin of Politico.com

It won't impact his path to the nomination, but John McCain got a reminder Saturday of the work he has to do with his party base.

Despite his inevitability, McCain lost two of the first three GOP contests to take place since the departure this week of Mitt Romney.

MIke Huckabee blew him away in the Kansas caucuses and edged him out in the Louisiana primary. In Washington, which held caucuses, McCain bested Huckabee by 2 percentage points.

Many conservatives have vowed not to support McCain for the GOP.  Others have even said they would vote for Hillary Clinton or not vote at all.  In the end, the party line appears to be swaying more towards a vote for McCain verses perhaps "the worst of two evils" in their minds - Hillary. 

President George W. Bush said Republican presidential front-runner John McCain is a ``true conservative'' and vowed to help him gain the support of skeptics if he wins the nomination.

``If John's the nominee, he's got some convincing to do'' among conservative Republicans, Bush said on today's ``Fox News Sunday.'' He added, ``I'd be glad to help him if he's the nominee -- he is very strong on national defense, he is tough fiscally, he is pro-life. His principles are sound and solid.''

Mike Hucabee, meanwhile, is far from an after thought in this political race, winning both the Louisiana Caucus and Kansas Primary. 

“I think we have a shot at Virginia. I think we have a shot at Maryland… I think we have a shot at everywhere we go,’’ Huckabee said Sunday.  “To step aside and have a coronation instead of a nomination, that’s the antithesis of everything Republicans stand for,’’ Huckabee said on NBC News’ Meet the Press. “Miracles are still happening,’’ the ordained Baptist minister said. “I still believe in them.’’

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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com

Originally published February 10, 2008 11:41 am EST