Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) were the winners of California’s presidential primary Tuesday night, but strong performances by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) elsewhere in the nation ensured that the nomination contests for each party would continue past Super Tuesday.

McCain’s winning performances in larger states like California and New York appeared to give him a commanding lead in the race for Republican delegates, while a resurgent performance from Huckabee in the South dealt what could be a knockout punch to the candidacy of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

On the Democratic side, Clinton took such populous states as California, New York and Arizona. Obama, however, won more states overall, and the proportional allocation of delegates in many Democratic contests meant the race for the nomination is far from over.

There were few surprises Tuesday night, and neither side could claim a decisive win in the 22-state contest dubbed by some a “national primary.”

“Everything seems like it’s gone according to expectations,” Political Science Prof. Morris Fiorina said.

McCain claimed nine states and 423 delegates in Tuesday night’s polls, giving him 525 overall to Romney’s 223 and Huckabee’s 145. The Arizona senator, whose campaign was widely considered all but finished last summer, was ready to proclaim himself the front-runner.

“We’ve won some of the biggest states in the country,” McCain said at a rally in Phoenix, before adding, “I don’t really mind it one bit.”

McCain’s recent surge began with victories in the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries last month. He also received endorsements from California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, after Giuliani dropped out of the Republican race.

While Romney and Huckabee said Tuesday night that they would continue in the race, McCain’s momentum appeared to have him closing in on the nomination.

“McCain’s turnaround is due mainly to the weakness of the opposition,” Communication and Political Science Prof. Shanto Iyengar wrote in an email to The Daily on Tuesday night. “The early polling showed Giuliani doing well — a reflection of the mayor’s high name recognition. As the campaign progressed, Republicans began to coalesce around McCain.”

Obama took 13 states to Clinton’s eight, but trailed by about 100 delegates as of press time. As of 1:00 a.m. PST, New Mexico had not yet been called and the overall delegate counts were not available. Just less than 1,200 delegates are needed to win the Republican nomination, while 2,025 are required for the Democrats’.

“I’d have to say that the recent polling seems to have underestimated Sen. Clinton’s strength, especially among middle-aged and older women,” Iyengar said. “Nonetheless, I’d give Obama full marks for making the race so competitive.”

Both Democratic candidates spun the results as favoring their campaigns.

“I look forward to continuing our campaign and our debate about how to leave this country better off for the next generation,” Clinton said at a rally in New York.

Obama addressed his supporters from Chicago, referencing the theme of change that has been central to his campaign.

“Our time has come,” he said. “Our movement is real. And change is coming to America.”

The next contests will be held Saturday in Kansas, Louisiana and Washington for Republicans. The Democrats will compete in Nebraska, the Virgin Islands, Louisiana and Washington on Saturday, as well as Maine on Sunday. Both parties will compete next Tuesday in the Beltway primaries in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Iyengar, who is teaching a class this quarter on presidential campaigns, said a drawn-out primary process favors Obama.

“The more people see the two candidates up close and in person, the more likely they are to break for Obama,” he wrote. “The Dem race is likely to go on right up to Pennsylvania in April.”

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.