In the wake of the Maryland primary, Barack Obama's supporters in Howard County say he is on an electoral rocket ride to the White House.
About 75 of them braved the election night ice storm to gather at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel on Snowden River Parkway near Route 100 to cheer him on.
The final moments before polls closed in Maryland were marked by a celebratory chorus and a New Year's Eve-style countdown. Cheers of "Yes we can" and "Yes we did" ensued as CNN promptly declared Obama the winner in Maryland.
"What a win. What a great night. What momentum," said Del. Guy Guzzone, who had spent part of the day knocking on more than 70 doors for Obama in Oakland Mills with County Council members Calvin Ball and Jen Terrasa.
"There's not a doubt in my mind it's going to lead us to the presidency," Guzzone said.
Even the youngest fans took part in the celebration. Lily Ulman, the 2-year-old daughter of County Executive Ken Ulman, proclaimed "Barack Obama" as her bet to be the next president as her father held her up before the crowd.
"This is a great day," the county executive said.
Guzzone and Terrasa said that of the 27 people they encountered during their campaigning in Oakland Mills, 17 said they back Obama. Two expressed support for Hillary Clinton, they said.
Obama's fans were even more encouraged by the big victory margins he ran up in Virginia and Washington, an indication, several said, that he might be unstoppable.
"I think it's going to be tough to beat him," Ulman said.
Clinton fans haven't given up.
A few miles south, at Democratic Oarty headquarters on Oakland Mills Road, Clinton supporter Melody Higgins gathered with a handful of local party leaders to munch sandwiches and watch the returns.
"I think it's a proportional delegate race, so she'll get some [delegates]," Higgins said. "I'm looking to Texas and Ohio. It's not over. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the Clinton campaign machine."
Meanwhile Lily's 6-year-old sister, Madeline, had an accomplishment in addition to the victory by her dad's candidate.
"I lost my second tooth today," she told a reporter, proudly showing the gap.
Fans - and a foe
Janet Huckabee's visit to the Java Grande coffee shop on U.S. 40 near St. Johns Lane drew a supportive crowd of about 75 people last week as presidential candidates of every stripe crisscrossed Maryland before last Tuesday's primaries.
The visit even drew Donald E. Murphy, local campaign chairman for Sen. John McCain.
"It's just a thrill that Maryland is in a competitive race," said Donna Sudbrook, 43, of Ellicott City, who went to see the wife of Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Monique DeBerry, the shop's owner, said she agreed to host the gathering after a call from Dave Albert, owner of Eggspectation restaurant, a former political activist who said he's been a friend of Mike Huckabee for years.
Ken Aldrich, director of the Maryland Minutemen, a group dedicated to stopping illegal immigration, attended the session with his wife, Sarah. Although Huckabee is "not the first guy I would have picked, he's ahead of [John] McCain," he said. Still, Aldrich said, he will support whichever Republican gets the nomination.
Mary Hagar, 41, of Jessup is perhaps the prototypical Huckabee supporter, one whose support is based on faith instead of an analysis of delegate vote totals.
"I like his values. He's a Christian man, and I'm a Christian. God will lead us to the right person to put in there," she said. "If he [Huckabee] is meant to be in office, he will be."
Janet Huckabee showed faith of her own when a supporter asked whether she thinks her husband of 34 years can win the nomination despite being far behind in the delegate count.
"Until one person has 1,191 votes, it's not over," she said, noting that her husband has been written off by political pundits for months, yet won in Iowa and several other states.
"We've already received many victories," she said. "Until it's over, it's not over."
Robust turnout
Unofficial turnout in Howard County was 42.4 percent, including about 3,000 absentee ballots, according to county election board administrator Betty L. Nordaas. That compares with 25.3 percent for the 2004 presidential primary.
larry.carson@baltsun.com