Romney eyes big victory as Florida votes
Source: Agencies |
February 1, 2012, Wednesday
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POLLS opened early yesterday in Florida, where Mitt Romney was pushing for a big win over Newt Gingrich in the race to pick a Republican challenger to United States President Barack Obama in November.
Polls show former Massachusetts governor Romney holding a double-digit lead in Florida, the fourth, largest and most diverse state so far to hold a nominating contest. The winner takes all 50 delegates at stake - the biggest prize to date in the state-by-state contests leading to the Republican National Convention in August that will select the nominee. "The winner of Florida is in all likelihood going to be the nominee of our party," Senator Marco Rubio, arguably the state's most popular Cuban-American politician, told CNN.
The candidates were quiet yesterday morning, with Romney having no events until evening.
Romney has been the front-runner for much of the race, but he suffered a stunning loss to former House of Representatives speaker Gingrich in the January 21 South Carolina primary and has been more aggressive in debates and speeches ever since.
"With a turnout like this, I'm beginning to feel we might win tomorrow," an upbeat Romney told a crowd on Monday.
Romney and his allies have poured more than US$14 million into Florida television advertising primarily to attack Gingrich, who has struggled to compete with Romney's fundraising ability, staffing and network of high-profile supporters. Gingrich and allies spent roughly US$3 million on Florida advertising. He also faltered in the Florida debates.
The last Florida polls close at 8pm EST. Republican officials in the state were anticipating a big turnout, more than 2 million voters, up from a record 1.9 million in the Republican primary in 2008.
A Romney win is unlikely to end Gingrich's candidacy in a Republican contest that has turned increasingly hostile. But Romney would have the clear momentum as the race enters a period of lower-profile contests, some in states friendly to the more moderate Romney.
Romney is generally considered the Republicans' strongest candidate to face Obama, whose re-election prospects have been hurt by the slow US economic recovery.
The other two candidates in the race will not be in Florida. Both former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Texas congressman Ron Paul have ceded Florida's primary in favor of smaller, less-expensive contests.
After Florida, the pace quickens with seven elections in February, which kicks off with Nevada's caucuses on Saturday.
Polls show former Massachusetts governor Romney holding a double-digit lead in Florida, the fourth, largest and most diverse state so far to hold a nominating contest. The winner takes all 50 delegates at stake - the biggest prize to date in the state-by-state contests leading to the Republican National Convention in August that will select the nominee. "The winner of Florida is in all likelihood going to be the nominee of our party," Senator Marco Rubio, arguably the state's most popular Cuban-American politician, told CNN.
The candidates were quiet yesterday morning, with Romney having no events until evening.
Romney has been the front-runner for much of the race, but he suffered a stunning loss to former House of Representatives speaker Gingrich in the January 21 South Carolina primary and has been more aggressive in debates and speeches ever since.
"With a turnout like this, I'm beginning to feel we might win tomorrow," an upbeat Romney told a crowd on Monday.
Romney and his allies have poured more than US$14 million into Florida television advertising primarily to attack Gingrich, who has struggled to compete with Romney's fundraising ability, staffing and network of high-profile supporters. Gingrich and allies spent roughly US$3 million on Florida advertising. He also faltered in the Florida debates.
The last Florida polls close at 8pm EST. Republican officials in the state were anticipating a big turnout, more than 2 million voters, up from a record 1.9 million in the Republican primary in 2008.
A Romney win is unlikely to end Gingrich's candidacy in a Republican contest that has turned increasingly hostile. But Romney would have the clear momentum as the race enters a period of lower-profile contests, some in states friendly to the more moderate Romney.
Romney is generally considered the Republicans' strongest candidate to face Obama, whose re-election prospects have been hurt by the slow US economic recovery.
The other two candidates in the race will not be in Florida. Both former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Texas congressman Ron Paul have ceded Florida's primary in favor of smaller, less-expensive contests.
After Florida, the pace quickens with seven elections in February, which kicks off with Nevada's caucuses on Saturday.
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