Romney wins Michigan and Arizona primaries

UPI ^ | February 28, 2012

[Red Steel]

DETROIT, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Mitt Romney was a double winner Tuesday, capturing the Michigan and Arizona Republican presidential primaries, results showed.

The Detroit Free Press declared Romney the victor over his GOP rivals in Michigan.

With about 74 percent of the precincts counted, Romney had 317,258 votes (41 percent) to Rick Santorum's 286,530 (37 percent), results posted by the Free Press showed. Ron Paul was third with 88,521 votes (12 percent) and Newt Gingrich followed with 50,726 votes (7 percent). Another 2 percent voted "uncommitted" and a handful of votes went to several other Republicans who are no longer contenders.

CNN called Romney the winner in Arizona. With 71 percent of the vote counted, Romney had 191,182 votes (48 percent) to Santorum's 101,232 votes (25 percent). Gingrich was third with 65,182 votes (16 percent), with Paul bringing up the rear with 33,505 votes (8 percent).

Exit polls in the two states Tuesday had indicated electability was the top priority among Republican primary voters.

Thirty-three percent of Michigan voters said beating President Obama is the top priority when selecting a GOP nominee, while 38 percent of voters in Arizona said the same, CBS News exit polls indicated.

Romney and Santorum slashed at each other ahead of the Michigan primary, which was too close to call. The contest in his home state is seen as crucial to Romney and his claim of the front-runner's mantle.

Despite the closeness of the Michigan race, the Post said Romney was expected to win about three times as many convention delegates as Santorum Tuesday. Arizona is a winner-take-all primary. Michigan's 30 delegates are allotted proportionately to the primary winner in each of the state's 14 congressional districts. Arizona's winner picks up all of its 29 delegates.

The Washington Post said Romney was expected to garner 45 delegates from both contests, with Santorum picking up about 15.

Gingrich and Paul were not expected to win any delegates, and did not seriously campaign in the two states.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, have been shooting fireballs at each other in recent days.

Romney blasted Santorum's use of robocalls urging Democrats, who can vote GOP in Michigan, to vote for Santorum.

"I know why [President] Obama doesn't want me to face him but I just think it's outrageous and a terrible dirty trick at the last hour, by the way, late in the afternoon on the day before the election, maybe hoping no one would notice, they start sending out calls to Democrats, union members telling them to go into the Republican primary and vote against Mitt Romney," Romney told Fox News.

"This is a new low for his campaign and that's saying something," he added.

Santorum told Fox News Monday night he's just trying to attract the Democratic voters he'll need in November.

"When he runs a robocall of my voice from four years ago saying good things about him, that's not a low moment, and when I run a call basically saying, calling Democrats that are eligible to vote here, to vote for us, that's a low?" he said.

[DoughtyOne]

Agreed.

[DoughtyOne]

He tried, but countless folks were convinced that destroying Santorum was going to bring out a new dawn for Conservatism.

That dawn is looking rather dismal at this point.

[DoughtyOne]

If Romney is to be bested, someone has to go up against him.

I think the guy who gets 37% to 41%, is probably the better guy over one who gets 7%.

Sorry, I’m not buying Santorum complicity in this. We had a seven percenter who was working him over. In two words, it worked.

[OldArmy52]

In 2008 running McCain the RINO who would not criticize Obaba worked so well, that now we have Romney RINO running would will not criticize Obaba (though he has no problems doing “night of the long knives” to his fellow Republicans...at least the more conservative ones).

Sigh...4 years later now, vote fraud more pronounced, the Republican Elite act like Dem Lites. The Republican base scr*wed where ever the insane idea of open primaries are being done....open primaries merely means letting the Dems choose the Repub candidate since they don’t have to cast their vote for anyone since Obaba is their alledged humanoid.

[cableguymn]

I don’t trust him one bit. I think he could come up with someone like her.

I know what we have in Obama. I have not been convinced Romney would be one lick better.

I’ll *never* vote for Obama.

I’m not sold on Romney and won’t vote for him until I am.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Hank. As I just said to another FReeper, someone has to go up against Mitt if he is to be denied the nomination.

Do we support the guy getting 37%, or drop him and support the guy getting 7%?

On this forum, Santorum has been the target of 90% of the negative comments. While we couldn’t say bupkis about Newt on penalty of being sent packing, forum participants posted every tid-bit they could find on Santorum, and did everything they could short of cutting of his family jewels.

It wasn’t criticism of Santorum that got folks zotted around here, so please don’t tell me Newt got the worst end of that deal. You darn well know I’m right.

Look how that paid off for us. Super Tuesday is less than a week away, and Santorum has been severely damaged just in time to serve Mitt well.

It’s a real shame...

[JediJones]

You don’t seem to be accounting for the fact that most states are not winner-take-all. It takes a whole lot more calculating to do the delegate math than you’re doing. You’re also making the strange assumption that Santorum and Newt’s standings in the polls are going to stay static. That’s highly unlikely. Santorum had his chance and blew it in a big way. His momentum is gone. The voting on the last day swung against Santorum. In fact, Newt got a BIG bump in the last-day voting, indicating major Newtmentum:

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/epolls/mi?hpt=hp_t1

Newt got 11% of the last-minute vote. He only got 3% in the few days before that, and only 8-6-7% in the months before that. So Newt had way more support in Michigan on Monday than his average before in the entire campaign. Santorum meanwhile collapsed...throughout 2011 he went from 41-55-50% and finally only 31% on the last day of voting.

Let’s also not forget that 9% of the voters in Michigan were crossover Democrats and voted HEAVILY for Santorum. He got 53% of them vs. 18% for Romney, 17% Paul, 3% Newt. Do you think Santorum’s going to get that crossover boost in the upcoming states? He certainly didn’t do well in Arizona without such gimmicks.

[DoughtyOne]

Gingrich had the biggest win of the primary season, South Carolina with a 35% increase in turnout. The minute conservatives abandoned him just because he lost one state, the conservative vote was destined to be split and there was no way enough of Newt’s very strong support would abandon him for an unvetted, untested candidate like Rick.

Newt's very strong support is now at 7%.  Super Tuesday is now six days away, and the only viable opposition to Mitt has been visciously attacked constantly here.  How's that working our for us?

It was stupid to think Rick was going to score every point and make no stumbles in his first major test, which is the only way he could have won these contests. Conservatives moving to Rick decided to split the vote and lose these contests. The ONLY way to turn this around now is to GO BACK TO NEWT for Super Tuesday.

But of course it was simply brilliant to think that Newt and company throwing every dart they could in Santorum's back was going to bring folks back to Newt in droves.  Well, I think we can safely say that failed.  Now what?  Listen to you.  Abandon the guy with 37% of today's vote, to vote for the guy who got 7% of the vote.  Newt is the best friend Romney has right now.  I know it hurts to admit it, but the figures are in.  Sure we're six days from Super-Tuesday, and Newt will play the part of the spoiler all day long.

Romney will come out of that day with an incredible amount of momentum.  What's more, some of you folks will do your best all week to beat down Santorum's numbers for Mitt.  I know you don't mean it that way, but that is going to be the outcome.

If conservatives refuse to see that Rick is TOTALLY unprepared for this task, not to mention completely unpresidential, and move back to Newt, then they will hand the election to Romney.

Is Newt even in this race at this point?  I know he has refused to pull out and cast his support for Santorum, but 7%?  Santorum could have won yesterday.  Newt didn't have a chance.

Rick had his chance at a big win and blew it.

And yet you think a guy who got 20% of the numbers he did at the polls, is a big winner.  Who blew it?  Your guy doesn't even have the wherewithall to join these battles.

He’s got nothing but small caucus states under his belt, most that were uncontested seriously. He has proved he cannot carry the day in the kind of states that count. Gingrich, on the other hand, has proved he CAN compete in big states that matter and can win states BIGGER than anybody. He still had about the double the popular vote Rick did before tonight. Gingrich is the frontrunner for the conservative alternative, there is no way for Rick to supplant him in that position now, and people need to realize that REAL fast unless they want to hand this election to Mitt by continuing to support Rick.

BTW, how did Newt do in Michigan yesterday?  Oh that's right, he didn't even try, AGAIN.  He just threw the book at Santorum, and then watched Romney walk off with the big win.

That's presidential?  Not in my book.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Here was a great chance to stop Romney in his home state. But with some people? Crickets. Jeering from the cheap seats and naysaying. By their lack of action, they helped it along to some extent.

Oh well, at least the Bishop is only slowed down a bit, as the delegate split with Santorum salvages some of the night. On to more friendly territory now.

It is not incorrect to say that among Conservatives in the race for the GOP nomination, Santorum leads in the delegate total with what he picked up in Michigan.

This will be NO VOTE for ROMNEY, in 2012, Primary OR General. No NOTHING.

[DoughtyOne]

Well..., it’s hard for me not to take away that lesson.

[Liberty Valance]

Mitt Romney's Nash...

[woofie]

Its the end of the world and I for one will hold my breath till its over

[AmericanInTokyo]

Another irony is these people (they must be very young, or just new to politics), who attempt--poorly at that, to mock Senator Santorum for the crossover Democrat strategy. That's right, a Republican Conservative challenging a Moderate RINO centrist on his HOME GROUND in the state of Michigan, by appealing to crossover conservative Democrats with a marketing campaign.

JUST LIKE GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN DID TO JERRY FORD IN 1976.

They become realllll silent when you tell them those facts of history, which they probably are hearing for the very first time.

[DoughtyOne]

Here’s a thought.  Okay, lets see.

Maybe our candidates ought to talk about what we’re concerned about. You know, the economy, our exploding debt, jobs, inflation up the wazoo, and did I mention the economy and jobs?

Well that's certainly what folks on this forum have been doing isn't it.  Cough cough...

But, instead, we got Preacher-man (more holy than thou), talking about abortion, contreception, abortion, gay marriage, abortion... and did I mention abortion?

You know, the though processes of some of you folks are really amazing.

Jim Robinson is stridently pro-life.  He will never support Mitt Romney due to that fact.  And here you are belittling Santorum for addressing abortion.

You are so angered by the fact he addresses it that and a couple of other issues, that you attempt to belittle him by calling him Preacher-man and hit him over the head with the word abortion four times in one sentence.  When Santorum addresses contraception, he does so because contreception creates an environment where sexual promescuity is made more thinkable.  Sexually transmitted diseases, increased pregnancy, an increase in out of wedlock births, and an increase in abortions result.  With all the focus on contraceptives and their disbursement, the worse stats possible continue to be a plague on this nation.  As for homosexual marriage, are you now advocating we throw in the towel on that too?  Wow, you certainly do have the Conservative talking points down don't you.

Sounds like a Democrat think tank around here at times.       

Santorum took his 10 minutes of fame and turned it into a sermon instead of an election campaign. And that’s all on him, not on those that point it out.

Let me explain the difference between you and I.

You point it out.  We can tell what vent you use when you do it.  Thanks for the example.

I point it out and agree with the man.  I try to be true to my values system.

Anymore than it’s the little boy’s fault for pointing out that the King has no clothes.

In your opinion I'm sure this just just another fine post where you tried to live up to what you suggested others should do, "Maybe our candidates ought to talk about what we’re concerned about. You know, the economy, our exploding debt, jobs, inflation up the wazoo, and did I mention the economy and jobs?"

Even you couldn't do it.

[DoughtyOne]

We know how that loser strategy worked in 2008.

Yes, I agree. I'm not to upset at those seniors because it has been so long since they heard a Conservative voice, they shouldn't be blamed for not knowing what one sounds like.

The RNC has sold this nation out. I know we blame the Democrats, but our guys have allowed the Democrats to operate under protection.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree with your take on it.

Even losing, Santorum did damage to Romney. He did take a number of delegates in Michigan that weren’t that much lower than Romney’s.

As for voting for Romney, just remember that in 2016 the party will run another dumb ass Leftist.

At some point, we have to do something.

My take on all this, is that it is time for a grass roots effort to replace the Republican party.

As part of that effort we need to get on the ballot in 50 states. We also need to make sure that no current sitting Republican office holder should be allowed to be a part of the new party.

To that end...

[DoughtyOne]

Another irony is these people (they must be very young, or just new to politics), who attempt--poorly at that, to mock Senator Santorum for the crossover Democrat strategy. That's right, a Republican Conservative challenging a Moderate RINO centrist on his HOME GROUND in the state of Michigan, by appealing to crossover conservative Democrats with a marketing campaign.

It's either precisely what you have described it as being, or you have folks so angry with Santorum, that they would call him unfit to be president if he sat down to take a wee wee.

We have some folks on this forum right now that have convinced themselves that Santorum is the worst candidate, Romney ain't so bad, and it's everyone's fault but Newt that his numbers are as low as his sordid record has garnered him.

JUST LIKE GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN DID TO JERRY FORD IN 1976.

Hey, that's a great point, but the more popular point is that doesn't cast a disparaging light on Santorum, so that means it can't be important.

They become realllll silent when you tell them those facts of history, which they probably are hearing for the very first time.

For some of them, you're probably right.  We've got a herd mentality around here right now though, and rational interpretations of historical facts aren't selling too well.

[Varsity Flight]

What we are seeing are government racketeers which know that the current Spammer has only one demographic, and absolutely has no chance of re-election. (Which is the reason for all the bribes were permitted and conceded for Arbeitsziehungslager- “Care”)

Massachusetts-Mitt, is being planted for one reason only. The solidification and implementation of Arbeitsziehungslager.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I'm with you, D.O.

And the absolute "bloody" (as the Brits would say) IRONY of the whole thing about "herd mentality" is that it is patently and necessarily a polar opposite, an anathema toward Conservative Thinking, which is based on logic, individualism, independently drawing one's own conclusions, and not accepting dictats for finding one's own way on such decisive matters. I have yet to figure it out. It is very puzzling and an odd phenomenon indeed. Go figure, as they say.

[DoughtyOne]

You touched on some fine points there. Good one...

The Conservative mindset was great.