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Romney Wins Florida Primary In Landslide
February 1, 2012
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney stormed to a convincing win in Florida’s Republican presidential primary Tuesday, bolstering the front-runner’s argument that he is the best candidate to compete with President Barack Obama in swing states in the general election.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Romney had 46 percent of the vote to former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 32 percent. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul were running far behind, with 13 and 7 percent of the vote, respectively.
The win allowed Romney to show off his ability to win a state that will be the largest competitive prize in the November showdown with Obama.
Related Story: Escambia, Santa Rosa Go For Gingrich
Standing in the city where Republicans will gather in seven months to hold their convention, Romney gave a speech that at times sounded like he was accepting the GOP nomination.
“I stand ready to lead this party and to lead our nation,” Romney said. ” … My leadership will end the Obama era and begin a new era of American prosperity.”
Romney swept the major metropolitan areas of the state, though the results were very close in Duval County, where Romney won by fewer than 1,400 votes out of more than 86,000 cast.
Gingrich carried many of the largely rural counties in North Florida and the south-central part of the state.
The victory was almost certain to ratchet up pressure on Gingrich, who has vowed to fight on, to drop his upstart bid. Gingrich came into Florida will a full head of steam after his South Carolina victory Jan. 21, but the momentum fizzled after two lackluster debate performances and an avalanche of negative ads from Romney’s campaign and “super PAC.”
Florida House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said Romney’s win in Florida had “defined” the race.
“I think that Mitt Romney has shown that he’s the candidate that is going to win the nomination,” Weatherford said. “The other candidates have to decide how long they want to stay in.”
Gingrich, for his part, showed no interest in stepping aside following the defeat.
“It is now clear this will be a two person race between the conservative leader Newt Gingrich and the Massachusetts moderate,” the former speaker said in his post-election speech.
That prospect delighted Democrats, who watched the Florida primary devolve into a bitter and personal feud between Gingrich and Romney. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith said Romney’s bombardment of Gingrich had tarnished his future prospects in the state.
“He may have won this contest, but he lost the opportunity to win the hearts and minds of the people of Florida,” Smith said.
Romney and party leaders were quick to say that the intraparty battle would soon enough give way to a party united in an effort to defeat Obama.
“A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us, and we will win,” Romney told hundreds of cheering supporters who waved American flags and “Florida Believes” signs.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry, who joined the Romney party but officially remains neutral, suggested that the back-and-forth amounted to a vetting of the candidates and could inoculate the party’s nominee against attacks from Obama in the fall.
“We have a winner here now,” Curry said. “I think the negative advertising is old news.”
By The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Rep. Mitt Romney campaigns Saturday at The Fish House in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
15 Responses to “Romney Wins Florida Primary In Landslide”
REGARDING:
“I don’t quite understand someone voting for “anyone but Obama” instead of choosing a candidate by what forum and they issues they support”
It’s not as bad as it sounds, mostly because they don’t really mean it. There’s a lot of hyperbole during election cycles. They’d rather have him over some people but most likely none of them is in the Republican primaries.
It also means that the worst proposals of those running are proposals they consider better than President Obama’s proposals. Again, though, they usually haven’t actually studied those proposals, or his. They’ve made up their minds he’s bad and anyone not him must be relatively good. When push comes to shove, they look more closely.
Further, many of them will vote for those candidates they think would have a better chance in the general election, believing them better than the status quo. It beats saying, “I won’t vote for any because I disapprove of something each candidate said or did.”
It’s a way of saying they hope for change and can stomach some imperfections in expected possible replacements.
David for better candidates
Any body the republicans pick will be fine with me.But Obama has to go.
I don’t quite understand someone voting for “anyone but Obama” instead of choosing a candidate by what forum andthey issues they support. If this type of candidate mentality wins this election cycle we as citizens will get the government we deserve.
President Obama is President of the United States of America, not everyone here is Christian or Jewish. He must not pander to the religious, the non religious or any special group. You don’ preach the Bible you LIVE THEE BIBLE!!
It’s slim pickins for you Republicans. All President Obama has to do is watch Newt shoot himself in the foot & Mitt keep sticking his foot in his golden mouth.
REGARDING:
“He is a Muslim and make no bones about it –”
And yet President Obama has never said so, nor does he do the things of Muslims, such as eschew bacon or pray five times a day, or take multiple wives like former Speaker Gingrich.
David for fried bacon
and other artery hardeners
You have got to be kidding. Christian! NO WAY! He is a Muslim and make no bones about it – He is trying hard as he can to change our country beyond being able to fix it and our congress is letting him! They need to get rid of the entire bunch and start over! Obama and his wife both make me sad because of the way they are making the entire world laugh at us. Read a European newpaper. Full of jokes about both of them. The world sees what we refuse to see! WAKE UP people! Vote him OUT!
Kathy,
Maybe I’m reading your post wrong. Are you saying somebody who thinks that morals and principles are important should be voting for Newt? Or are you saying the religous bigots should be voting against Romney?
As a blue dog democrat, and a christian, I do not think that Mr.Obama should be endorsing , gay marriage, or abortion, but he does not seem to have a problem with that. Well, that is what my Bible reads.
Newt has got to be the worst when it comes to your own definition of ‘morals’, ‘family values’, and ethics. The only Christian in the running for office by your own standards of family and religion is the one you demonize: Obama. Like or dislike his policies, he is the only one who has a strong family and is Christian.
Strange bed fellows this election cycle has created. Strange, indeed.
As I tell all my good republican friends, just pick some body, and I will vote for them, 16.2 trillion dollars in debt, Obama has to go. We need him about as bad as one needs a hole in the boat surrounded by alligators in a pond. Go any body! but Obama.
Friction: can’t say much about mindless sheep except…nominating and electing Obama has already proved disaster for Americans… not much to lose when your already at the bottom.
Mindless sheep indeed! So Florida selects a liberal cultist to be the next republican president of the Unites States. Where did all the morals, the principles go? Where is all the outraged religious Christians? All fake all that mattered was
the bosses said Romney could beat Obama. Good luck with that one.
More like brain washed sheep.
Newt carried North West Florida….as for the rest of the state: “mindless sheep following the herd” as a friend of mine says..nominating Romney will be a disaster for the Republicans.