Santorum Romps in Missouri and Minnesota
Rick Santorum routed Gov. Mitt Romney in the Missouri Republican primary and the Minnesota caucuses on Tuesday, giving a much-needed heartland boost to his underdog campaign, news outlets projected.
Santorum had 55% of the vote in Missouri, compared to 25% for Romney and 12% for Ron Paul, with 82% of the votes counted, CNN reported.
Santorum was also far ahead in Minnesota with 45% of the vote. Ron Paul was running second with 25% and Romney was a distant third with just 16% of the vote, with nearly a third of the precincts counted.
Romney was still a heavy favorite to win in Colorado, which was also holding caucuses on Tuesday. The vote was close there, with just a handful of votes counted.
The results would be another twist in the ever-changing GOP race for the nomination to run against President Barack Obama.
With Newt GIngrich not on the ballot in Missouri, Santorum united conservatives against Romney, whom many perceive as a moderate.
He also ran strong among evangelical Christians and social conservatives, the same groups that propelle him to a win in Iowa last month.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
