Live Wire The Sage...(live from Charleston, SC)

80% reporting...Romney: 39%....McCain: 30%.....Huckabee: 15%.....Giuliani 3%.... (For the Dems: Clinton: 57%; uncommitted 37%)
IM "Marc Ambinder" or e-mail mambinder@theatlantic.com with tipssize>size>

ROMNEY WINSsize>size> Michigan's home boy brings in a gold....

Says victory of "optimism" over "pessimism"....

On to South Carolina and Nevada
Romney does not use "gold" in his victory speech...
McCain calls Romney to congratulate...
Giuliani adviser: "Race is fluid..."
McCain adviser: "Anyone who wins two of the three out of NH and SC goes on to be the winner..." McCain jokes: "Thought this would get easier..."

Evangelicals made up 40% of the vote...Romney tied with Huckabee among them...

CBS News estimates HRC "win" in Michigan (but remember: no delegates, no opponents except for "uncommitted.".. Big win, though...more than 64%....uncommitted bid failed, despite radio ads from Rep. John Conyers and efforts by Obama/Edwards union allies in the state....

Early spin from McCain campaign adviser:

"Tonight’s outcome doesn’t affect our game plan. John McCain has the momentum and a consistent message that’s resonating in South Carolina and Florida, where we believe the nominee will be decided."

Las Vegas Review Journal endorses Obama...(but activist Dems don't like that paper....)...

ONWARD: McCain looks to Florida, South Carolina...

On Fox News, Romney spokesman Kevin Madden claims "Gold Medal" in Michigan....

Huckabee campaign opens first office in Florida... in Orlando...Wednesday...

Clinton campaign plans major phone bankling in South Carolina Wednesday.....highlighting women...

Clinton, Obama and Florida Democratic Party in memo-war... Obama campaign sends memo to "interested parties" -- i.e., the press -- urging them not to report Clinton's MI victory tonight as a victory..... Clinton campaign responds with memo noting that Obama team offered tacit support to those who pooled to vote for "uncommitted" against Clinton and that "The people of Michigan and Florida have just as much of a right to have their voices heard as anyone else." And Florida Dems project that 1,000,000 Dems will vote in the delegate-less Florida primary anyway.

Huckabee's "amend the Constitution to impose the Bible's will" remarks circulate through seculars...had been overlooked in the hub-bub....