Daily Skiff

Media Credit: Austin Bowler Students gather at Fuzzy's Taco Shop to watch the primaries on Super Tuesday. [Click to enlarge]

The big wins came for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Arizona Sen. John McCain in the Super Tuesday primaries, but they still have a long way to go before the nominees are set in stone.

Former House Speaker Jim Wright said Tuesday night that the process could be prolonged.

"For one thing, the results of Super Tuesday tell us that the end is not here yet," said Wright, a political science faculty member. "The decision could go to August as it has in the past."

In the Democratic primaries, Clinton took New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Arizona. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won Georgia, Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, North Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, his home state and Missouri, a key swing state.

On the Republican side, McCain won New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Oklahoma and his home state of Arizona. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won his home state and Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won West Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas.

"I'm not surprised by who is in the lead," Wright said. "I expected Hillary to be in the lead, and I expected McCain to be in the lead. I am surprised Huckabee has made so much gain on Romney."

Depending on the direction the Democratic nomination is taking as states continue to hold primaries, Texas could become a major influence, said Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor.

"The Texas primary could be important in the Democratic Party in a way that it has not been in years and years," Riddlesperger said.

Cathi Hoag, an alumna, said she thinks Texas will benefit from a later primary.

"Clinton and Obama are neck and neck, making Texas' March 4 primary extremely decisive," Hoag said.

On campus, students were also taking in the excitement of Super Tuesday. Chi Omega sorority and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity hosted a watching party in the Pi Kapp house, where about 30 students attended. Although there was one Huckabee supporter present, the majority of students seemed to be in favor of Obama.

Students for Obama, a campus group, took over Fuzzy's Taco Shop on Berry Street, covering the walls with "Obama '08" posters and tuning every TV in to CNN or MSNBC. About 60 people came and went throughout the night, said Brian Young, a coordinator for the Students for Obama party.

Students discuss the primaries on Super Tuesday

Melanie Harris, another alumna, said she attended the Students for Obama party because there were no Clinton-watching parties. She said Obama should be careful with his support from young people.

"Obama has a lot of support from young people but young people are notorious for not voting," Harris said.

The key to this election has been the enthusiasm of the candidates, Wright said.

"Both parties are responding to the call for change and people are excited about it," Wright said.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service contributed to this story.

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