Coverage of Today's Political Contests

update: Obama wins Wisconsin, Hawaii handily. McCain wins Wisconsin and Washington.

From MSNBC's First Read, the facts:

Wisconsin (D). Open primary (independents can vote) -- 74 delegates up for grabs (48 proportional by CD, 15% threshold; 26 by statewide vote, 15% threshold).

Wisconsin (R). Open primary (independents can vote) -- 37 delegates at stake (24 winner-take-all by CD; 16 winner-take-all by statewide vote).

Hawaii (D). Closed caucuses (independents cannot vote) -- 20 delegates up for grabs (13 proportional by the state’s two CDs, 15% threshold; 7 based on statewide results, 15% threshold).

Washington (R). Open primary (independents can vote): Feb. 9 caucuses were used to determine 18 (or 49%) of the state's pledged delegates. Today's primary will determine the back half (or 51% -- 19 delegates) -- 10 proportional by statewide vote, 20% threshold; 9 WTA by CD.

Some brief comments if you click through.

I haven't been following the contests as much lately. Briefly, McCain is the heir-apparent for the Republican nomination, even as Huckabee continues to compete (inexplicably? am I missing why?). Oh yeah, and Romney endorsed McCain. Most of the focus has shifted now to speculation about who McCain will pick as a running mate. No sure bets on that one, and I'm pretty sure we won't know until right before it happens. It's too early for Bobby Jindal, so I'm preparing myself for dissapointment.

On the Democrat side, more confusion, but things continue to go Obama's way. Hillary will probably lose the contests today, putting her at a dismal 0-10 in the most recent elections and caucuses, and Obama already has her tied in Texas, and she is losing ground in Ohio. See Peggy Noonan's most recent column here.

I've said this before, and I'll probably say it again - it's going to be a very long Lent.