Opinion: Breaking News (Updated): Ron Paul surges in Pa.

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

While some people pay attention to the alleged contest between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (and she won big), almost unnoticed is the Republican primary.

Many people think Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain has won the GOP nomination.

Actually, he has. A long time ago.

But Texas Rep. Ron Paul’s revolutionaries continue to plug away. With 45% of Pennsylvania’s 9,268 precincts reporting, Paul has captured 15% of the vote. He’s easily beating former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has only 12%.

Two things will moderate joy in the Paul camp. One, Huckabee suspended his campaign and stopped campaigning weeks ago. Yet, he’s still getting 12%. And second, McCain is capturing 73% of the GOP vote -- which was apparently reduced by some thousands of Republicans who changed their registration to vote Democratic for Clinton, as ordered by their leader, Rush Limbaugh, to promote further prolonged feuding among Democrats.

On the other hand, Paul will point out, McCain has already won the party’s top ticket spot and yet is drawing only 3 out of 4 Republican ballots.

(UPDATE: With 98% of Pennsylvania’s 9,268 precincts reporting Rep. Paul has narrowed the lead of Sen. McCain by 1%, to just 57 points. Paul captured 125,204 votes or 16% to McCain’s 570,188 or 73%. Mike Huckabee trails both with 89,344 or 11%.)

-- Andrew Malcolm