Party front-runner John McCain and Mitt Romney's 286, according to the 2008 Republican presidential primaries and caucuses. On February 9, 2008, Huckabee won the first election following Super Tuesday, by winning 60% of the vote in the Kansas Republican Caucuses. This was also the first contest to be held without Mitt Romney, who was said to be splitting the conservative vote with Huckabee and some pundits suggested it was the reason for Huckabee's landslide victory. Huckabee also won the Louisiana Republican Primary with 44% of the vote to John McCain's 43% in second. Although Huckabee won the primary he was not awarded any delegates, because of the state party rules that state a candidate must pass the 50% threshold to receive the state's pledged delegates. Despite those wins, however, McCain won all the other post-super-Tuesday February primaries. On March 4, McCain obtained the necessary delegates to secure the nomination with wins in the first four March primaries. As a result, Huckabee conceded the nomination to McCain in the late evening of March 4. Delegate count Controversies and criticism Huckabee has stated that being criticized is a good sign for him because it means that he is a viable candidate. Huckabee says of the political attacks, "Suddenly, I seem to be in the cross hairs of every predator who is out there", Huckabee said. "As a hunter, I know that a good hunter never aims his gun at a dead carcass. You only point it at something you want to put on the wall as a trophy." On Hillary Clinton, Huckabee said, ""There's nothing funny about Hillary Clinton being president. Let me tell you why. If she's president, taxes go up, healthcare becomes the domain of the government, spending goes out of control, our military loses its morale, and I'm not sure we'll have the courage and the will and the resolve to fight the greatest threat this country's ever faced in Islamofascism." Huckabee has criticized Fred Thompson on his stance on abortion and gay marriage. Thompson has stated that such issues should be left to the states to decide. Thompson returned the criticism by criticizing Huckabee on immigration and taxes. Mitt Romney criticized Huckabee on immigration by stating, "Giving a better deal to the children of illegal aliens than we give to US citizens from surrounding states is simply not fair and not right." Huckabee responded, "I guess Mitt Romney