Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry swept the Democratic primaries on Super Tuesday, winning nine states – including New York, California and Ohio – and capturing 72 percent of the vote in Massachusetts.
“We will invest in education and healthcare and the creation of jobs,” Kerry said, speaking in Washington, D.C. as the results came in. “We will repeal Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy … We will repeal every tax and loophole” that encourages businesses to move overseas, he said.
Kerry’s main rival, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, won 18 percent of the Massachusetts vote and was expected to formally end his campaign today. Former Gov. Howard Dean won 58 percent of the vote in his home state of Vermont – the only state Kerry lost Tuesday – where his name remained on the ballot even though he ended his campaign in mid-February after a disappointing showing in the early primaries.
“We are in Kerry country,” Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) said, after the Massachusetts results were announced, at a Kerry campaign party at Ned Devine’s in Fanueil Hall.
“George Bush said he wanted a unified country,” Markey said. “Congratulations, Mr. President – you have unified the Democratic party around John Kerry.”
Mayor Thomas Menino, also speaking at the event, said Kerry will bring about change.
“The agenda will change in Washington … it will be about people,” he said. “He resonates with the American people on issues that affect everyone on a daily basis.”
Ayer Selectwoman Faye Morrison, whose daughter was called for military service in Iraq while she was a student at Pennsylvania State University, said she supported Kerry from the beginning, when he helped her attain her position.
“After bombs started flying in Baghdad, I called Kerry’s office,” she said. “I’ve never dated anyone else, I’ve always been right here in the Kerry campaign,” she said, referring to the popular “Dated Dean, Married Kerry” slogan.
Another supporter who never wavered was on hand for the Fanueil Hall celebration in Kerry’s hometown.
“I am so proud of my brother tonight,” said Cameron Kerry, the senator’s brother. “You know how hard it was in November and December,” he told the audience of approximately 100 Kerry campaign volunteers and supporters.
Boston University for John Kerry Vice President Dan Hoffer said he came after helping call hundreds of BU students to remind them to vote on Monday.
He said he supports Kerry because Kerry “has the most experience in the areas I feel are most important, like the environment and education.”
“He has a 95 percent liberal voting record,” said Hoffer, a College of Arts and Sciences junior. “You don’t get that by being wishy-washy,” he said, referring to critics who say Kerry is inconsistent on the issues.
With Kerry’s success in Tuesday’s primaries, he will look to the entire country to capture votes from Bush, said Jim McDevitt, a friend of Kerry’s who has known the candidate for 30 years and volunteers for the candidate’s campaign.
“We’re going to fight in every state, including Texas,” he said. “We’ll fight for every vote in every town.”
When asked if he thought Kerry could beat Bush, McDevitt said, “Yes, I thought that for more than 25 years.”
All the Kerry supporters at Ned Devine’s were optimistic about Kerry’s chance to win the upcoming presidential election.
“It’s all about who he runs with,” Hoffer said. “If Kerry and Edwards get together” they would be “bulletproof,” he said.
Bob Summers, a Wakefield resident, said he believes Kerry could win because of the “lies and deceit of the president.”
“[Kerry] has the in-depth experience. He has character and he has intelligence,” Summers said.
Summers added that Bush “ruined the country,” which is why he supports the Kerry campaign.
“I’ve never seen an election that’s this important,” he said.
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