Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt
Gingrich divided up 10 states on Super Tuesday but Romney won Ohio,
the most coveted state up for grabs.
Romney edged out Santorum with 1
percentage point in Ohio. He also won primaries in Virginia, Vermont
and Massachusetts, where he once served as a governor, as well as
caucuses in Idaho and Alaska. The Associated Press reported
that Romney took Ohio with 38 percent of the vote. Santorum received
37 percent, Newt Gingrich 15 percent and Ron Paul 9 percent.
“We're on our way,” Romney told
supporters in Boston. “I'm going to get this nomination.”
A last-minute pitch in Ohio from
Santorum backers accused
Romney of advancing gay rights.
Santorum, considered the most socially
conservative candidate in the GOP presidential field, won primaries
in Tennessee and Oklahoma, and caucuses in North Dakota.
“We're going to get at least a couple
of gold medals and a whole passel full of silver medals,” Santorum
told supporters in Steubenville, Ohio. “We're ready to win across
this country.”
Georgia stood by Gingrich, who
represented the state for 20 years. It was the second win for the
former House speaker who previously won South Carolina.
Neither Romney nor Santorum could
declare a decisive victory on Tuesday. All four candidates vowed to
press on.