Mitt Romney was declared winner of Super Tuesday at the conclusion of March 6. With wins in Ohio, Massachusetts, Virginia, Idaho, Alaska and Vermont and a cumulative-to-date delegate count of 465, he is the frontrunner in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.
To win the GOP presidential nomination, a candidate must secure 1,144 delegates. However, concerns have surfaced that none of the current candidates may acquire this number, leading to rumors that a new GOP frontrunner may appear before the Republican National Convention in August, according to Fox and ABC News.
During his victory speech in his home state of Massachusetts, Romney concluded that President Obama’s actions fall short when it comes to the rising unemployment rate.
“To the millions of Americans who look around and can only see jobs they can’t get and bills that they — that they can’t pay, I have a message: You have not failed. You have a president that’s failed you, and that’s going to change.”
After a close call in Ohio, Rick Santorum won Oklahoma, Tennessee and North Dakota. He now has 234 delegates.
Newt Gingrich won his home state of Georgia, bringing him up to 125 delegates. His Georgia win is considered to be a comeback after nearly dropping out of the race days before Super Tuesday due to lack of funding.
“There are lots of bunny rabbits that run through. I’m the tortoise, I just take one step at a time,” Gingrich proclaimed.
Ron Paul earned delegates in Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont and Virginia, yet fell short of winning in any of the states.
The Washington caucus, which took place on March 3, the Saturday before Super Tuesday, became another win for Romney. Of the 40 delegates at stake, Romney was awarded 30, Santorum five and Paul five.
Last Saturday, March 10, four more states and territories held primaries and caucuses: Wyoming (11 delegates), Kansas (40 delegates), Northern Mariana Islands (9 delegates), the U.S. Virgin Islands (6 delegates) and Guam (9 delegates). Santorum took Kansas, and Romney took Wyoming, Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands and Guam. According to the Associated Press, Romney had not campaigned in Kansas.
Tuesday’s contests declared Santorum the winner of Alabama and Mississippi and Romney the winner of Hawaii and American Samoa.