BY RANDY GRIFFITH
The Tribune-Democrat
April 24, 2008 04:56 pm
—
Democrats across the region rallied to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s support in Tuesday’s presidential primary election.
Clinton outpolled national frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama nearly 3-1 in Somerset and Cambria counties.
Somerset’s final totals showed Clinton with 8,407 to Obama’s 3,192 votes. In Cambria, 22,761 voted for Clinton, and 8,882 for Obama. Each county’s margin was 71-27 percent.
Voter interest and good weather led to strong voter turnout, especially among Democrats.
Cambria and Somerset each reported 47 percent turnout overall. Cambria reported 58.5 percent among Democrats and 35 percent for Republicans.
Across the state, the margin was somewhat narrower, with the former first lady leading Obama by 8 percentage points.
“Obama said it yesterday: A win is a win,” Clinton spokeswoman Emily Cain said at the Clinton election night watch party in The Haven, 117 Langhorne Ave.
“Sen. Clinton has proved that she can win the big states in November – including Pennsylvania,” Cain said.
The mood was more subdued as local Obama supporters gathered to watch results in Flood City Lodge of the Order of the Elks of the World, 728 Franklin St. The small group of volunteers gathered around the television, crunching numbers.
“Anytime you don’t win, it’s disappointing,” said Joe Alaimo, a volunteer from Westmont. “If we can keep it within a reasonable percentage – under double digits – it will be OK.”
Cambria and Somerset counties became a center of attention during the campaign, with both candidates leading rallies at Greater Johnstown High School. Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, made appearances in Johnstown, Somerset and Ebensburg, and their daughter, Chelsea Clinton, spoke in Johnstown’s Central Park.
Both candidates promised to deliver changes under their presidency, and the message hit home with many local voters.
“I voted for Barack Obama, and it’s the first Democrat I ever voted for in my life,” 91-year-old Frederick Furst said at his Oak Street home in Johnstown. The lifelong Republican and former Bethlehem Steel worker changed his registration because he wanted to see changes.
“Change is what we need to clean up the mess that we are in,” the Rev. Calvin McCray said outside the Seventh Ward Civic Association polling place in Hornerstown.
“Whoever comes in there, they have a mess to clean up.”
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