Significant in the respect that it demonstrated that McCain isn't politically dead after his campaign nearly self-destructed due to poor management. I think McCain is really benefitting from the highly fractured nature of the race. In 2000 when he ran against George W. Bush, he didn't have that benefit, as much of the Republican establishment was backing him at the time. This time around, the establishment doesn't have a favorite candidate, so McCain can win by relying on his base of conservative independents who remain loyal to him. It should be noted that McCain's win in New Hampshire wasn't as convincing as his win there in 2000, and although he won South Carolina yesterday, he perceentage total there was still significantly less than what he got there 8 years ago. Huckabee would have won had Fred Thompson not split the evangelical vote. So essentially Thompson's role in the race is to act as a spoiler for Huckabee, and that only helps McCain and the other moderate candidates in the race. This race is far from well-defined--indeed, I'm expecting a brokered convention, something which has not happened for the GOP since General Dwight D. Eisenhower captured the nomination in 1952.
