Romney scores victory in Nevada
Source: Agencies |
February 6, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
US Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney has declared victory in Nevada's caucuses.
He thanked Nevada voters for their confidence in him and vowed to take it all the way to the White House.
Romney's decisive win comes four days after he cruised to a double-digit victory in Florida's primary, cements his status as front-runner and leaves his rivals struggling to keep pace. Nevada was the West's first nominating contest.
The former Massachusetts governor has the advantages of cash and a strong political organization as the contest heads to states that appear friendly, including Colorado and Minnesota, which Romney won in 2008, and Michigan, where Romney grew up and his father was governor.
Romney cruised to victory in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday night, notching a second straight triumph over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.
The caucuses drew little attention in the nominating campaign, but Nevada figures to be a fierce battleground in November between the winner of the Republican nomination and Democrat President Barack Obama. The state's jobless rate was 12.6 percent in December, the worst in the US.
Romney unleashed a sharp attack on Obama, whose economic policies he said have "made these tough times last longer."
"President Obama seems to believe America's role as leader in the world is a thing of the past. I believe the 21st century will be and must be an American century," Romney said to cheers from his backers.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, held a double-digit lead over his nearest pursuer as the totals mounted in a state where fellow Mormons took up roughly a quarter of all caucus-goers.
Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Representative Ron Paul vied for a distant second. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum trailed the field. Returns from 14 of 17 counties showed Romney with 42 percent support, Gingrich with 25 percent, Paul with 20 percent and Santorum with 13 percent.
Yet to report its results was Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and often accounts for half or more of the votes in a statewide election.
Romney's victory capped a week that began with his double-digit win in the Florida primary. That contest was as intense as Nevada's caucuses were sedate - so quiet that they produced little television advertising, no candidate debates and only a modest investment of time by the contenders.
According to the AP count, Romney began the day with 87 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. Gingrich had 26, Santorum 14 and Paul 4.
Preliminary results of a poll of Nevada Republicans entering their caucuses showed nearly half said the most important consideration in their decision was a candidate's ability to defeat Obama this fall, a finding in line with other states.
About one-quarter of those surveyed said they are Mormon.
He thanked Nevada voters for their confidence in him and vowed to take it all the way to the White House.
Romney's decisive win comes four days after he cruised to a double-digit victory in Florida's primary, cements his status as front-runner and leaves his rivals struggling to keep pace. Nevada was the West's first nominating contest.
The former Massachusetts governor has the advantages of cash and a strong political organization as the contest heads to states that appear friendly, including Colorado and Minnesota, which Romney won in 2008, and Michigan, where Romney grew up and his father was governor.
Romney cruised to victory in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday night, notching a second straight triumph over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.
The caucuses drew little attention in the nominating campaign, but Nevada figures to be a fierce battleground in November between the winner of the Republican nomination and Democrat President Barack Obama. The state's jobless rate was 12.6 percent in December, the worst in the US.
Romney unleashed a sharp attack on Obama, whose economic policies he said have "made these tough times last longer."
"President Obama seems to believe America's role as leader in the world is a thing of the past. I believe the 21st century will be and must be an American century," Romney said to cheers from his backers.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, held a double-digit lead over his nearest pursuer as the totals mounted in a state where fellow Mormons took up roughly a quarter of all caucus-goers.
Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Representative Ron Paul vied for a distant second. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum trailed the field. Returns from 14 of 17 counties showed Romney with 42 percent support, Gingrich with 25 percent, Paul with 20 percent and Santorum with 13 percent.
Yet to report its results was Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and often accounts for half or more of the votes in a statewide election.
Romney's victory capped a week that began with his double-digit win in the Florida primary. That contest was as intense as Nevada's caucuses were sedate - so quiet that they produced little television advertising, no candidate debates and only a modest investment of time by the contenders.
According to the AP count, Romney began the day with 87 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. Gingrich had 26, Santorum 14 and Paul 4.
Preliminary results of a poll of Nevada Republicans entering their caucuses showed nearly half said the most important consideration in their decision was a candidate's ability to defeat Obama this fall, a finding in line with other states.
About one-quarter of those surveyed said they are Mormon.
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