WASHINGTON--Arizona Senator John McCain eked out a narrow victory in the Republican Party's caucuses in the northwestern state of Washington, the state party chairman announced late Saturday.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee earlier Saturday defeated McCain in Republican presidential primaries in Louisiana and Kansas.

McCain, 71, a Vietnam war hero, is far ahead of his opponents in the delegate count and is the party's presumptive 2008 presidential standard bearer, though he faces opposition from core Republican conservatives.

With 87 percent of precincts reporting in Washington state, McCain led with 26 percent of the delegates, against 24 percent for Huckabee and 21 percent for Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who earlier dropped out of the race without announcing an endorsement, won 17 percent.

Nearly 13 percent of delegates reported their preference as "uncommitted," while another 1.1 percent reported their preference as "other," Washington state Party Chairman Luke Esser said in a statement.