Obama, Romney win frozen Alaska races

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney easily won Alaska's caucuses on Tuesday, thanks to grass roots support in a state where voting was marked by subzero temperatures and overflowing crowds.

With 39 of 40 districts reporting, Obama was leading the Democratic race with 74 percent of the vote. Hillary Rodham Clinton had 25 percent.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney had a commanding lead over Mike Huckabee. With 30 of 40 districts reporting, or 75 percent, Romney had 44 percent of the vote. Mike Huckabee trailed with 22 percent, and Ron Paul was leading John McCain for third place.

Democratic party leaders brought about 1,500 voter registration forms for those wishing to newly register or switch parties. But they needed another 1,000, party Chairwoman Patti Higgins said.

Obama's campaign credited the victory to bipartisan support. The state Democratic party had 2,500 people either sign up for the first time or switch parties at Tuesday's caucuses.

"What surprised me the most was the Republicans, the independents and the undeclareds, switching their representation," said Chris Farrell, Obama's state caucus director.

Robert Lackey Sr., of Anchorage, voted for Romney because he said it was important that the Republicans keep the White House for balance since the Democrats have control of Congress.

"We have to get some sanity back to Washington," he said. "I was a young hippie liberal at one time when I didn't have any sense. Now that I'm paying taxes, I don't want Democrats taking all of my paycheck."

Nearly 4,000 Democrats streamed into the Anchorage caucus site, shattering the previous record of 254 voters in 2004. There were so many voters, police threatened to tow cars.

Freezing temperatures and snow didn't keep Alaskans away from the polls in other parts of the state, either. In Juneau, the state's capital, Democrats trudged through more than 2 feet of new snow to mob Centennial Hall.