Feb 4, 2008 6:50 pm US/Eastern
McCain In N.J., Out To Finish Off GOP Field
Arizona Senator Fires Up Supporters In Garden State
HAMILTON, N.J. (CBS) ―
Heading into Tuesday's Republican primary, John McCain holds a commanding lead in New York and New Jersey over Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee.
However, as CBS 2 HD found out Monday that lead isn't stopping the front-runner from reaching out to voters in the delegate-rich Garden State.
McCain walked into Monday's appearance to the theme song from "Rocky."
"We're going to take New Jersey and take this nomination and take it with your help," McCain said.
McCain spent his day in a state he's carrying by 30 points in the polls. But he had two fundraisers slated in New York on Monday, which may explain why he's here even as
Romney has opened up a lead in the crucial state of California.
"Conservative voices on talk radio and in news magazines, they got behind me and they said, 'This guy Romney's the guy,'" Romney said.
Romney is working feverishly to fuel doubts about McCain among conservatives. The Arizona senator had his friend Rudy Giuliani on hand Monday to address the criticisms.
"Ultimately, the choice is about character," Giuliani said.
Thanks in part to Giuliani's departure from the race McCain is set to sweep big northeast states like New York and New Jersey. He could land a knockout blow to Romney Tuesday unless conservatives hand Romney a victory in California.
His supporters are crossing their fingers.
"We need somebody who speaks for the people, conservative, liberal whatever," Jack Thorn said. "We need someone who speaks for the people."
Late Monday, McCain received the endorsement of former Gov. George Pataki, who once tried to keep him off the New York ballot in his race against George W. Bush.
The question now is whether the conservative backlash against McCain will be strong enough to stop his march to the nomination. We'll know the answer in a little over 24 hours from now.
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