US politics: McCain new favourite for President

John McCain is now the new favourite to become the next President of the United States of America according to British bookmaker Ladbrokes. In a dramatic change at the top of the betting, the Arizona senator has overtaken both Democratic candidates to head the field. Click here for your free £10 to bet on politics with Ladbrokes US political correspondents believe McCain is now unbeatable in his race for the Republican party nomination - especially given Mitt Romney's withdrawl. McCain called for unity in the Republican party after a series of poll victories that correspondents say seriously wounded his main rival, Mitt Romney. McCain enjoyed wins in the big states of California and New York, as well as Illinois, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Missouri, Connecticut, Delaware, and his home state of Arizona. But five wins for former Baptist minister Mike Huckabee, who is popular with evangelical Christians, backed up the widely held view that McCain lacks support from conservatives in his own party. In fact key conservative figures have already refused to vote for McCain in the presidential election if he wins the nomination. McCain said: "I do hope that at some point we would just calm down a little bit and see if there are areas that we can agree on for the good of the party and for the good of the country." The Democratic race could continue until the party convention in August where the nomination will be sealed. Hillary Clinton, odds on in the race for months, has been pushed out to the 2/1 third favourite. The bookies can no longer split her and Barack Obama and make them both 5/6 for their party's nomination after the US Presidential hopefuls both cklaimed victory after Super Tuesday. Clinton said that now her campaign was "full speed ahead" after she clinched several big states in the biggest day of voting yet in the party nominations battle. Obama countered by claiming there were "many more rounds to fight", and that he was "less of an underdog" than he was two weeks ago. Ladbrokes spokesman Robin Hutchison explained: "We couldn't lay Hillary at 6/4 last week and we can't lay her at 2/1 now - she is totally friendless in the market. "Whilst she and Obama slug it out, McCain has all but secured his party's nomination and has one foot on the White House lawn." LATEST BETTING Who will be elected U.S. President in 2008 John McCain 5/4; Barack Obama 15/8; Hilary Clinton 2/1; Michael Bloomberg 20/1; Mike Huckabee 50/1; Ron Paul 150/1 Who will be Democratic Candidate? Hilary Clinton 5/6; Barack Obama 5/6 Who will be Republican Candidate? John McCain 1/20; Mike Huckabee 16/1; Ron Paul 200/1 Click here for your free £10 to bet on politics with Ladbrokes