Republicans react to Super Tuesday results
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

In the days following California's Super Tuesday primaries, local Republicans are saying they're not surprised with Sen. John McCain's win in the state, despite some differing views about the Arizona senator's ability to secure conservative support in the future.

Mike Osborn, chair of the Ventura County Republican Party, said he's pleased that the election went forward "without a hitch" and that he's confident his party will unite behind McCain if he secures the nomination.

"I just think that right now, everyone is supporting the candidate they like," Osborn said. "But once we have a nominee, we're all going to get together. We do this every time there's a primary.

"Eventually, everyone will back the nominee of the party, and we will all work hard to get our candidate elected," he said.

McCain became the nation's GOP frontrunner in the presidential race this week, securing at least 137 delegates after receiving 42 percent of the California Republican vote. Former governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney came in second in the state with 34 percent, and former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee finished third with 12 percent. Ventura County's results mirrored those of the state.

On Thursday morning, McCain's front-runner status was lockedin even further when Romney announced he was suspending his bid for the nomination.

"The results are the way they are," Osborn said. "Some of us are happy and some are sad, but overall we're happy about the way it turned out. McCain is a really good candidate."

Still, Steve Frank, longtime Simi Valley resident and director for the 19th Senate District of the California Republican Assembly, said that conservative Republicans are "disappointed" their candidates did not win in California.

"McCain didn't get 50 percent of the votes statewide; he just got 42 percent," Frank said. "That's 58 percent of the state's Republican voters who voted for other candidates. (McCain's) job now will have to be to consolidate Republican support."

According to county records, more than 75,000 Republicans- representing 51 percent of registered party voters in Ventura County, turned in their absentee ballots or hit the polls on Tuesday.

"The turnout was very good," Frank said. "And that's good for democracy, when you have as many people as possible to make a decision."

Because the Republican primary was not open to non-GOP voters, the results were pure, Frank said, in contrast to the results of the Democratic race- which allowed those registered as "declineto-state" voters to participate in their primary.

"While the Republicans made the Republican choice, the Democrats and people outside their party helped them make their decision," he said. "If I was a Democrat, I'd be upset because the vote was diluted from all those nonDemocrats voting in their primary.

"I have no idea what the advantage is to have people who don't want to join your party decide who you should select," Frank said.