Mitt Romney Wins All But 9 Delegates In Primary Sweep

WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney won nearly all the convention delegates a three-primary sweep, adding to a lead that will be insurmountable without a dramatic shift in the race for the Republican nomination for president.

With 95 delegates at stake Tuesday, the former Massachusetts governor picked up 86 delegates in Maryland, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. His chief rival, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, won the other nine delegates, all in Wisconsin.

Tuesday's contests marked the midway point in the race for convention delegates.

Romney has 658 delegates, including endorsements from members of the Republican National Committee who automatically attend the August convention in Tampa, Fla., and can support any candidate they choose.

Romney has won 58 percent of the primary and caucus delegates so far. That puts him on pace to reach the 1,144 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination on June 5, when voters go to the polls in five states, including delegate-rich California and New Jersey.

Santorum has 281 delegates. He would need 80 percent of the remaining delegates to win the nomination before the party's national convention in August. That won't happen as long as Romney stays in the race because most upcoming primaries use some type of proportional system to award delegates, making it hard to win large numbers of delegates in individual states.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has 135 delegates and Texas Rep. Ron Paul has 51.

Santorum's best hope to win the nomination is to prevent Romney from reaching 1,144 delegates, forcing a contested convention.

Santorum's campaign argues he would fare well in a contested convention because delegates would gravitate toward the more conservative candidate. Santorum says the contest is only half over, and he has no intention of getting out.

Romney is increasingly focusing on the general election campaign against President Barack Obama. In a speech to newspaper editors and publishers Wednesday, Romney criticized Obama's handling of the economy, government benefit programs and national defense. He didn't mention Santorum.

Comments

[Gcock10]

03:27 AM on 04/05/2012

COASTING on his way to a BEAT DOWN from OBAMA

[Isom Dart]

03:13 AM on 04/05/2012

Romney is bad for America!

[sensiblethoughts4u]

12:28 AM on 04/05/2012

The closer Romney gets to the nomination, the crazier his statements get. I think he has lost his mind with the STUPID allegations he's making: President Obama will end programs, gun control/ownership, raise your taxes, take away religious rights, is raising the price of gasoline, has a secret plan with Russia, he's a secret European, he's an ATHEIST! THE MAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH REALITY, AND HE'S A NARCICCIST! YOU CAN'T TRUST ANYTHING HE SAYS! HE is the one who is going to end things and take away rights: "I'm going to end Planned Parenthood. The Paul Ryan budget plan is MARVELOUS! He's SEVERELY CONSERVATIVE. He's going to get rid of Obamacare even though it is an exact replica of ROMNEYCARE! It is ludicrous to support ANY OF THESE LUNNEY REPUBLICANS!

[NRMLUNIT]

12:04 AM on 04/05/2012

The worst liar sinks to the bottom before rising to the top.

[DrMaxChartrand]

08:22 PM on 04/04/2012

Fantastic! The best man to turn around our ship of affairs before we go crashing over the rocks of debt, inflation, exploding welfare, and loss of freedoms. Go, Romney, Go!

[NRMLUNIT]

12:06 AM on 04/05/2012

We alreadt hit the rocks. Romney insists that we back up and crash again and again until the boat is destroyed and he can claim salvage rights.

[DrMaxChartrand]

01:11 AM on 04/05/2012

Absolutely not the case; it's Obama's failed policies that keep causing us to hit the rocks. You don't grow businesses and economy by insulting them at every turn, ordering them to do things that are unsustainable, and treating them as the enemy. Who do you think he's lambasting when he talks about paying their fair share and sending jobs overseas? He's talking about America's businessmen and women,the risk takers, who burn midnight oil making things happen against all odds, they already pay more than 60% of all federal and local taxes paid, and he keeps vilifying them as if they're a bunch of freeloaders. His healthcare law is the worst possible solution to what ails us and will bury us once and for all if we don't rescind it. It's time to reign in the debt which is the now the size of the entire economy, restrain government growth and spending, and start living within our means. But, no, he wants inflation, unending debt and spending, and says, like the kid he is, the nasty conservatives won't give him the car keys and a blank check for a night on the town. Romney will bring a breath of fresh air to the scene, along with a heavy dose of experience and intellect lacking in the current office holder.

[Jake Masterson]

08:14 PM on 04/04/2012

A funny video parody on Romney's stand on condoms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1Uk84uu-Eo

[xxixpines]

10:07 PM on 04/04/2012

Enjoyed your video.

Here is one for you. Romney Top

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oyeaqSkMLo

[jabber60]

06:48 PM on 04/04/2012

ALL YOU PEOPLE IN PA NEED TO TELL SANTORUM THAT IT IS TIME TO STEP ASIDE! HE MADE A BIG DEAL OUT OF ROMNEY HANDING OUT SANDWISHES, SAID IT WAS NOT LEGAL WELL SANTORUM IS IN PA "BOWLING FOR VOTES" WHO THE HECK CARES, BUT HE IS ALWAYS BEING A "CRY BABY"MAYBE HE NEEDS TO STAND DOWN, WHY DOES HE WANT TO DRAG THIS ON! ROMNEY CAN TAKE CARE OF OBAMA, THE OBAMA IS IN MAD MODE HE IS REALLY TURNING THAT LIP UP NOW!!!!

[rmoyuela]

07:21 PM on 04/04/2012

TELL ROMNEY THAT THE ONLY ELECTION HE CAN WIN IS THE PRIMARY. TELL HIM TO GO HOME AND SAVE MONEY.

[N Lee Fox]

08:50 PM on 04/04/2012

rmoyuela - Go Hide and Wait......

[500]

06:40 PM on 04/04/2012

WOW.... there are a lot of liberals crying on this post. Come on guys cheer up. ROMNEY 2012

[rmoyuela]

07:22 PM on 04/04/2012

maybe 2024.

[500]

09:55 PM on 04/04/2012

If obama has another four years we won’t see 2024.......ROMNEY 2012

[DrMaxChartrand]

08:52 PM on 04/04/2012

Yes, Romney 2012!

[jjhrams]

05:04 PM on 04/04/2012

big YAWNNNN

[bmitche]

04:52 PM on 04/04/2012

This primary has put some voters in a state of perplexity. They either vote for one who can't win, vote for one they can't support, or bypass the whole thing and miss out on the general election.

[rmoyuela]

07:23 PM on 04/04/2012

Right. And give the money to charity.

[CindySanFrancisco]

04:49 PM on 04/04/2012

Let's get on with it, can't wait until our Prez wipes the floor with him during debates.

[jabber60]

06:50 PM on 04/04/2012

OH YOU THINK ROMNEY CANT TAKE CARE OF OBAMA? YOU ARE WRONG!

[DrMaxChartrand]

08:54 PM on 04/04/2012

But Obama's only weapons are words not his record. Mitt will show himself the better man and the solution to what ails our nation.

[Aussieposter]

09:15 PM on 04/04/2012

What ails the nation was 8 years of stuff ups under Bush. It only takes a few minutes to burn down a house while its takes many weeks to build it. Two wars and the global financial meltdown occurred under Bush's watch. If you expected things to improve instantly without having to pay a price, you were wrong.

[sensiblethoughts4u]

12:37 AM on 04/05/2012

Do you mean those same old tired FAILED BUSH POLICIES THAT HE WANTS TO RETURN TO? You people are so silly voting against your own interests just because you can't stand the FACT that a black man is in YOUR WHITE House! Well, get over it because he will win again BECAUSE OF HIS RECORD which IS turning this country around! YOU can LIE all you want,but people see through it! THEY DON'T BELIEVE YOUR LIES ANYMORE! The repugnicants have created their own demise, and this time it is surely detrimental and will be hard to fix. It is going to take more than sandwiches and EMPTY PROMISES!!!!!!!

[Ben Winslow]

04:07 PM on 04/04/2012

RawMoney can buy votes!!!!!

[jabber60]

06:51 PM on 04/04/2012

AND THE BIG UNIONS WILL TAKE CARE OF OBAMA!!!!!!! HE IS NOTHING WITH OUT THEIR DIRTY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!

[sensiblethoughts4u]

12:41 AM on 04/05/2012

Turn about IS fairplay. Their money is no dirtier than the polluted money from the rich peoples' superpacs! The best thing is GOD IS WATCHING, AND HE IS IN CONTROL. ALL YOU ATHEIST "SO-CALLED 'CHRISTIANS' " WHO CLAIM RELIGION ARE OUTED! We shall see who GOD puts in control! If your SATANIC plans win somehow, it will be shortlived because HE is in control and victory is HIS not YOURS!

[SelectaLeft]

03:58 PM on 04/04/2012

IF "Corporations Are People," does Mitt baptize them after they die, er, go bankrupt?

[jabber60]

06:55 PM on 04/04/2012

NO BUT I THINK HE WOULD LOVE TO SEE OBAMA "BAPTIZED!!!!!!! I THINK OBAMA NEEDS HIS FRIEND THE REV WRIGHT! THAT WOULD MAKE THIS ELECTION HEAT UP!!!!!!

[xxixpines]

10:20 PM on 04/04/2012

If you desire revenge for a family members unwanted post humous baptizm, go to
alldeadmormonsarenowgay.com and enter your names.

[N Lee Fox]

08:54 PM on 04/04/2012

Here we go again Selectaleft - This is a political campaign no a religious comapain..... So forget about Mitts religion and concentrate on what he can do for our country..... Have a good day....

[xxixpines]

10:21 PM on 04/04/2012

where is your 1st ammendment speech? Do you even know what it says?

[sensiblethoughts4u]

12:43 AM on 04/05/2012

Oh, did you mean raid the treasury and divide it up among his sons like he did with those companies at Bain Capital?

[SelectaLeft]

03:57 PM on 04/04/2012

Maybe Ann Romney and Katie Holmes can help each other escape!

[N Lee Fox]

08:55 PM on 04/04/2012

Selectaleft - May I Ask "escape what"?????????

[kevamy]

03:57 PM on 04/04/2012

It may be an insurmountable lead over the other circus clowns but when it actually comes to winning the general election, he will be annihilated. Cant wait to see the carnage. Hopefully it brings to an end this endless run for the white house from the romney clan.