NYT | Dean Wins First Primary, a Nonbinding Vote in Washington

[goobergunch]

By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

Published: January 14, 2004


WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 — Howard Dean won the District of Columbia's nonbinding presidential primary here on Tuesday, with incomplete returns showing the Rev. Al Sharpton running a stronger second place than had been expected.

With 124 of 142 precincts reporting, and voter turnout estimated at around 8 percent, election officials said Dr. Dean received 9,344 votes, or 42 percent, to Mr. Sharpton's 7,832 or 35 percent.

The closer-than-expected victory for Dr. Dean was mostly symbolic, with no delegates at stake and more than half the top-polling candidates not participating. The primary designed more to attract attention to highlighting the District of Columbia's lack of voting rights in Congress, than actually helping to select a nominee to run for president.

Still, for Mr. Sharpton, making his first test as a national candidate, the second-place finish demonstrated that he had persuaded many minority voters to support his long-shot candidacy over that of Dr. Dean's, local political observers said.

more...http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/14/politics/campaigns/14DIST.html?ex=1074747600&en=0dbcd3f981fd8bd6&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[jamesinca]

1. It has got to start somewhere

Sadly though, and it was pointed out in a series of SF Chronicle articles during CA recall time, the minorities are taken for granted in this country. The Plaid Adder had an opinion piece here at the DU on this sort of thing. Good for Dr. Dean and Rev. Sharpton, they both showed up. The candidates that did not run in this one have no business saying they are for all Americans. They can say they are for those that are not in DC though.

[MercutioATC]

2. No disrespect to Sharpton supporters, but was this really a bad thing for

Dean?

"Still, for Mr. Sharpton, making his first test as a national candidate, the second-place finish demonstrated that he had persuaded many minority voters to support his long-shot candidacy over that of Dr. Dean's, local political observers said."

D.C. is, I believe, the only primary we have where minorities represent the majority. I've always understood Sharpton to be popular with the minority vote.

Shouldn't the headline's emphasis reflect that Dean finished slightly ahead of Sharpton?

[slinkerwink]

3. no, because Dean rarely campaigned in DC due to conflicts

with IA and NH, and other states. Sharpton was in DC almost every day.