McCain wins close triumph in South Carolina

With almost all the votes counted, Arizona Senator John McCain is the declared victor in the South Carolina Republican primary:

Senator John McCain staved off a spirited challenge by Mike Huckabee to win the South Carolina primary on Saturday, exorcising the ghosts of the attack-filled primary here that derailed his presidential hopes eight years ago.

Mr. McCain’s victory here, on top of his win earlier this month in New Hampshire, capped a remarkable comeback for a campaign that was all but written off six months ago. In an unusually fluid Republican field, his aides said they hoped the victory would give Mr. McCain a head of steam going into the Jan. 29 Florida primary and the nationwide series of nominating contests on Feb. 5.

A Huckabee victory, a Romney victory, a McCain victory, a Romney victory, a Romney victory, a McCain victory...that has been the story so far in the GOP contest. Conservatives in half a dozen states have weighed in, but there is no front runner.

Next up for the Republicans is Florida, Rudy Guiliani's last bastion of hope in his sputtering, pathetic campaign for the Republican nomination.