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50 More Delegates Say They'll Support McCain

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By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN and DOUG SIMPSON, The Associated Press

Published: February 17, 2008

LANSING, Mich. - Sen. John McCain, the presumed Republican presidential nominee, picked up a total of 50 GOP national convention delegates from Michigan and Louisiana on Saturday.

Republicans met in both states to resolve how to divvy up delegates to the national convention in September.

Thirty-two of Louisiana's 47 delegates told The Associated Press they intend to vote for McCain, and three others also are expected to back him.

Likewise, a majority of Michigan's presidential delegates also say they will back the Arizona senator now that primary winner Mitt Romney is out of the race, although it's still unclear how many will go to the national convention.

As a result, McCain has 903 total delegates nationally, according to an Associated Press tally. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has 245, while Romney's total dropped to 253. A total of 1,191 are needed to secure the nomination.

The McCain campaign said 43 of Louisiana's delegates have signed pledges to vote for McCain.

The Republican National Committee stripped Michigan of half its 60 delegates for defying party rules by moving its presidential primary to Jan. 15.

Counting just the 30 Michigan delegates allowed so far, 23 were supposed to go to Romney, who won Michigan's Jan. 15 primary. Although those delegates technically will go the Sept. 1-4 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul uncommitted to any candidate, 18 now say they'll back McCain.

In Louisiana, Republicans meeting Saturday in Baton Rouge selected 44 of the state's 47 national GOP convention delegates.

Of the 44 delegates selected, 32 told the Associated Press they will back McCain, while three are uncommitted. Another nine delegates were unavailable.

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