Romney's Michigan win sizzles GOP race

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney secured his first win Tuesday night in Michigan, edging Sen. John McCain and Gov. Mike Huckabee with an almost 40-percent lead. Since the Democratic side had only one front-runner listed on the ballot, Michigan's primary remained largely a GOP-centered race.

Romney's win proved one crucial thing: voters in the automaker state remained concerned mostly about jobs and the effect that global competition has made on the automobile industry as a whole. Romney won by emphasizing his hometown roots (his father a former Michigan governor) and his business experience.

"Tonight proves that you can't tell an American there's something they just can't do, because Americans can do whatever they set their hearts to," Romney said. "Tonight marks a victory of optimism over Washington-style pessimism."

Michigan has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country - 7.4 percent, compared with 5 percent nationally - and the top-tier Republicans vowed to make the revival of Michigan's economy a priority.

Hillary Clinton won the uncontested Democratic side, grabbing 55 percent of the vote. She remained the only candidate listed on the ballot; both Senators Barack Obama and John Edwards removed their names following a dispute over Michigan officials moving the primary date earlier than February. Both candidates had urged voters to choose "unconfirmed" instead of the former First Lady.

The victory marks Clinton's second consecutive win, having captured the New Hampshire primary one week earlier.

Next up: the Dems face off in Nevada; GOP dukes it out in South Carolina. Both primaries take place Jan. 19.