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Obama Takes Mississippi

By Candice Ludlow

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-685159.mp3

DeSoto County, MS – Shortly after the polls closed in the Mississippi Presidential Primary, Barack Obama was announced as the predicted winner. In DeSoto County, it was too close to call so early. Candice Ludlow has more.

All day voters streamed into cast their votes throughout DeSoto County. Marla Treadway, Deputy Clerk for DeSoto County, said the turn out was much higher than they thought it would be.

Barack Obama garnered most of the Democratic votes cast in the state, but it was much closer in DeSoto County, a historically Republican community. The official tallies aren't in yet, but in DeSoto County, Hillary Clinton took 54 to Obama's 48 percent. While statewide, Clinton only picked up 39 percent of the Democratic votes cast Tuesday.

DeSoto County Republicans aren't as keen on McCain as those in the rest of Mississippi. Statewide, McCain won 79 percent of the votes cast. While in DeSoto County, he won 72 percent to Mike Huckabee's 18 percent. The question is how will Huckabee effect the November election? Some who voted for Huckabee this go around may stay home or vote Democratic.

This Presidential Primary season has really given voters an opportunity to voice their opinions. The next primary is in Pennsylvania. The race to the White House continues. In DeSoto County.

I love living in Memphis, but I'm not from the city. I grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I spent many hours at a highly tender age listening to NPR as my parents crisscrossed that city in their car, running errands. I don't amuse myself by musing about the purity of destiny, but I have seriously wondered how different my life would be if my parents preferred classic rock instead of Car Talk.