WASHINGTON, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - Senator John McCain announced, after cruising to victory in two primaries in Wisconsin and Washington, that he was set to become the official Republican nominee in next fall's presidential election.
"Thank you, Wisconsin, for bringing us to the point where even a superstitious naval aviator can claim with providence and humility that I will be our party's nominee for president," McCain told supporters at a meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
McCain, 71, has 974 delegates while his rival former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckerbee, has 241, with 1,191 delegates required to clinch nomination.
In the Democrat race, Illinois Senator Barack Obama won a ninth straight primary taking Wisconsin from his close rival, former first lady Hillary Clinton. Obama is also expected to take a Democratic caucus in his home town of Hawaii.
The Democrat race will now focus on key primaries in Ohio and Texas to be held March 4.
