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McCain 'wins tight Florida vote' McCain wins key Florida primary
(30 minutes later)
John McCain is projected to beat Mitt Romney by a slim margin in Florida, a key battle for Republicans seeking to run for president in November. John McCain has beaten Mitt Romney by a slim margin in Florida, a key battle for Republicans seeking to run for president in November.
With half the vote counted, US networks gave him 36% to Mr Romney's 32%. Only two-thirds of the vote has been counted but Mr Romney has conceded.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani - who has staked his bid for the party nomination on Florida - was trailing in third and Mike Huckabee fourth.Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani - who has staked his bid for the party nomination on Florida - was trailing in third and Mike Huckabee fourth.
Hillary Clinton claimed victory in the Democratic vote, although it is a largely symbolic contest.Hillary Clinton claimed victory in the Democratic vote, although it is a largely symbolic contest.
No delegates are at stake for the Democrats because the state's Democratic Party has been penalised by the national party for breaking rules on when it could hold its primary.No delegates are at stake for the Democrats because the state's Democratic Party has been penalised by the national party for breaking rules on when it could hold its primary.
With 42% of the votes counted, Mrs Clinton had 52% to Mr Obama's 30%, with John Edwards coming in third with 16%.
Giuliani's futureGiuliani's future
For the Republican hopefuls, 57 delegates are at stake in the winner-takes-all primary - the biggest prize of the primary season so far. With two-thirds of the vote counted, Mr McCain led Mr Romney by 36% to 31% but his victory is assured.
We are going to win - of course, if you don't win, you figure out another strategy Rudy Giuliani class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7214430.stm">Economic gloom class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7214763.stm">Q&A: Florida primary class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7216375.stm">Florida primary in pictures href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7170000/newsid_7175500?redirect=7175528.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&asb=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">What is a primary? The win for Mr McCain means he will take all 57 delegates in what is a winner-takes-all primary - the biggest prize of the primary season so far.
They will attend the party's national convention later this year when the Republican candidate is chosen. We'll stay involved and together we'll make sure that we'll doeverything we can to hand our nation off to the next generationbetter than it was before Rudy Giuliani class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7214430.stm">Economic gloom class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7214763.stm">Q&A: Florida primary class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7216375.stm">Florida primary in pictures href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7170000/newsid_7175500?redirect=7175528.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&asb=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">What is a primary?
The Florida victor will also gain crucial momentum ahead of Super Tuesday on 5 February, when 24 states vote. The delegates will attend the party's national convention later this year when the Republican candidate is chosen.
With just over half the vote counted, Mr Giuliani was in third place with 15%. The result may also be enough to make Mr McCain a clear front-runner going into Super Tuesday on 5 February, when 24 states vote.
It follows a win for the Arizona senator in South Carolina 10 days ago and another in New Hampshire on 8 January.
In campaigning, Mr McCain focused on national security and has strong support among a large number of military servicemen and veterans in the state.
Mr Romney, speaking in St Petersburg, Florida, said he had telephoned Mr McCain to offer his congratulations.
A former businessman and former governor of Massachusetts, Mr Romney has presented himself as someone with the credentials to shore up the economy.
He said he would be appearing at the Republican presidential debate in Simi Valley, California, on Wednesday night.
Mr Giuliani was in third place with about 15%.
Mr Giuliani, who has focused almost his entire campaign so far on Florida, had been hoping that pre-vote opinion polls putting him well behind the two front-runners would prove wrong.
Mitt Romney has sought to highlight his business experience to votersSpeaking to his supporters, Mr Giuliani congratulated his opponents on running a "hard-fought campaign".
It is not yet clear whether the result will spell the end for his campaign.
Mr Huckabee, who won in Iowa but needed a good result in Florida to keep him in contention, was fourth with 13%. Texas Congressman Ron Paul was fifth with 3% of the vote.Mr Huckabee, who won in Iowa but needed a good result in Florida to keep him in contention, was fourth with 13%. Texas Congressman Ron Paul was fifth with 3% of the vote.
Mr Huckabee thanked his activists in Florida and said of his campaign: "It's not even close to being over. We like to believe we are just getting started."Mr Huckabee thanked his activists in Florida and said of his campaign: "It's not even close to being over. We like to believe we are just getting started."
Mr Giuliani, who has focused almost his entire campaign so far on Florida, had been hoping that pre-vote opinion polls putting him well behind the two front-runners would prove wrong.
He has insisted that he expects to win the primary - but if that does not prove the case, it could spell the end for Mr Giuliani's campaign, analysts say.
Mitt Romney has sought to highlight his business experience to voters
He declined to elaborate on earlier remarks that he would make a decision on the future of his campaign on Wednesday morning.
The BBC's Andy Gallacher in Miami says that the state of the economy has been the main issue for voters in Florida.
The state has been hit hard by the sub-prime mortgage crisis.
Of the two Republican front-runners, Mr McCain focused on national security and has strong support among a large number of military servicemen and veterans in the state.
Mr Romney, a former businessman and former governor of Massachusetts, has presented himself as someone with the credentials to shore up the economy.
Democratic rowDemocratic row
None of the Democratic candidates campaigned in Florida after the party's national committee penalised Florida for holding its primary early.None of the Democratic candidates campaigned in Florida after the party's national committee penalised Florida for holding its primary early.
But Mrs Clinton - who has said she wants the state's delegates reinstated and seated at the national convention - held a victory rally in Davie, Florida, as the results came in. But Hillary Clinton - who has said she wants the state's delegates reinstated and seated at the national convention - held a victory rally in Davie, Florida, as the results came in.
Mrs Clinton held a victory rally - but the win brings her no delegates Mrs Clinton held a victory rally - but the win brings her no delegatesWith 59% of the vote counted, she was winning by 51% to chief rival Barack Obama's 31%, with John Edwards in third with 15%.
She told supporters: "I am thrilled to have had this vote of confidence that you have given me today and I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure not only are Florida's Democratic delegates seated, but Florida is in the winning column for the Democrats in 2008."She told supporters: "I am thrilled to have had this vote of confidence that you have given me today and I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure not only are Florida's Democratic delegates seated, but Florida is in the winning column for the Democrats in 2008."
Mrs Clinton is also keen to see the delegates reinstated in Michigan - a state she won, as the only major candidate on the ballot, but which was stripped of its delegates in the same way as Florida.Mrs Clinton is also keen to see the delegates reinstated in Michigan - a state she won, as the only major candidate on the ballot, but which was stripped of its delegates in the same way as Florida.
However, Senator Barack Obama, her chief rival, told reporters he believed the decision on delegates "should be made after the nomination, not before". Mr Obama told reporters he believed the decision on delegates "should be made after the nomination, not before". Mr Obama spent the day campaigning in Kansas, another Super Tuesday state, where he visited the town of El Dorado, the hometown of his maternal grandfather.
Mr Obama spent the day campaigning in Kansas, another Super Tuesday state, where he visited the town of El Dorado, the hometown of his maternal grandfather.
He also picked up the endorsement of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who delivered the Democratic response to President George W Bush's State of the Union address on Monday.He also picked up the endorsement of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who delivered the Democratic response to President George W Bush's State of the Union address on Monday.