Bush, Gore
continue Super Tuesday sweep in New York
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March 7, 2000, 10:58pm EST -- New York has spoken: Insurgents are out; front-runners are in.
Early projections in the Empire State said Al Gore has continued his Super Tuesday sweep against Bill Bradley and that George W. Bush scored a close win over John McCain.
In a race too close to call for nearly two hours, Bush garnered a majority of New York's 101 Republican delegates. Exit polls show the Texas governor was popular among older voters and those who said taxes and education issues important to them.
McCain was strong among men, moderates, independents and those who said today's was their first GOP primary vote. McCain was also favored by those ranking Social Security and Medicare as their top issues.
But polls show the Arizona senator was hurt by his recent attacks on the religious right. About a third of New York voters said McCain's criticism of Revs. Pat Roberson and Jerry Fallwell affected their votes.
Exit polls showed McCain was popular in New York City, while Bush carried a strong following upstate.
Though Bush scored several important victories, he told the Associated Press he has not coUnited McCain out yet.
"I don't consider myself the presumptive nominee. I consider myself a huge step closer and will work hard to secure the nomination," Bush said.
Al Gore also won out in New York tonight, beating Bill Bradley by a better than three-to-two margin. The vice president was popular with African-Americans and Hispanics, while Bradley had a following among independent voters.
Speaking from his campaign headquarters in Tennessee, Gore used his landslide primary victories to start talking like a nominee.
"Tonight I want to reach out to all who believe that this is a time for great progress, for great reform, for an America of tolerance and high ideals," he said.
Gore also reached out to his Democratic opponent, telling reporters he has "the greatest respect for Senator Bradley."
