John McCain clinched the nomination Tuesday, gaining the 1,191 GOP delegates as he swept through the states of Ohio, Vermont, Rhode Island and Texas put him over the top and finally giving them that magic number.

Next up for the Party and more importantly, McCain, is to convince America to continue Republican leadership in the White House, despite the war and economy, is better than the alternative of a Democratic White House.

McCain remarked on his victories, “Tonight my friends, we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence, humility and a great sense of responsibility that I will be the Republican nominee,” McCain told supporters in Dallas.

After convincing the nation that his sweep sealed the deal, McCain plans to visit Republican National Committee headquarters Wednesday and the White House for the endorsement of President Bush.

However, John McCain knows that this is only the beginning of very daunting task. ”I do not underestimate the significance nor the size of the challenge,” the Republican nominee-in-waiting told the Associated Press on Tuesday, looking to the next chapter of his presidential quest.

As of right now, barring any substantial set backs, you have to like the chances of John McCain winning the general election, especially if he happens to match up against Hillary Clinton.

Following the inevitable, Mike Huckabee finally grasped reality Tuesday and dropped out of the Republican presidential race. Huckabee said in Texas, that he has recognized McCain as the GOP nominee. His senior staffers told FOX News that the Bush endorsement reinforced his decision to withdraw from the race. Huckabee’s campaign issued a statement offering its support in helping united the GOP ahead of the November general election.

Most observers knew that today would most likely seal the deal for McCain and the writing was on the wall for weeks, but the former Arkansas governor hung on until McCain secured the necessary delegates.

“We started this effort with very little recognition and virtually no resources,” Huckabee told supporters. “We ended with slightly more recognition and very few resources.”

For a time, conservatives dissatisfied with McCain and the Republican establishment were drawn to Huckabee, but the party began to slowly unite behind McCain after Romney dropped out. Huckabee was never really able to win outside on a broader basis.

Huckabee said he was proud that he and McCain ran a civil campaign.