McCain front-runner after winning Florida primary

Miami: John McCain scored a hard-fought win in Florida's presidential primary on Tuesday, seizing the front-runner's role in a heated Republican race and possibly ending favourite Rudy Giuliani's White House bid.

McCain's win has put him in the lead in the vacillating Republican race to pick the party's candidate in November's presidential election. He picks up all of Florida's 57 delegates to the national nominating convention.

McCain, an Arizona senator, defeated former Massachusetts Govenor, Mitt Romney in a tense Florida battle that gives him critical momentum heading into critical February 5 "Super Tuesday" voting in 21 states with Republican contests.

This could mean the end for Giuliani, a former New York mayor who staked his campaign on a strong showing in Florida but was battling former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee for a third-place finish after leading national polls for much of the year.

"We ran a campaign that was uplifting," Giuliani said. "You don't always win, but you can always try to do it right."