Romney breathes easier with wins in Arizona, Michigan

But Republican front- runner struggled in the state where he was born and raised; focus now shifts to March 6 Super Tuesday

WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney regained his tenuous status as the Republican presidential front- runner on Tuesday with much- needed victories in the Arizona and Michigan primaries, avoiding embarrassing defeats that could have seriously damaged his campaign for the GOP nomination.

The former Massachusetts governor’s triumph in Arizona, where he won almost half the vote, gave him all 29 of the state’s delegates to the Republican national convention this August. But Romney

escaped Michigan, the state where he was born and raised, with a narrower victory over his chief rival, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum.

Heavily favoured to carry Michigan easily only a few weeks ago, Romney won with about 41 per cent of the vote to Santorum’s 38 per cent.

“It was just a week ago, the pundits and the pollsters were ready to count us out,” Romney told supporters in Novi, Michigan.

“We didn’t win by a lot, but we won by enough, and that’s all that counts.”

Texas congressman Ron Paul was a distant third in Michigan with 12 per cent, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had seven per cent.

The Michigan result was a relief for Romney, a native son whose father, George, was a former governor and auto industry executive.

Had Romney lost there, his campaign would have been reeling heading into the Super Tuesday contests in 10 states on March 6. Instead he grabbed the lion’s share of delegates in both Arizona and Michigan, widening his lead over Santorum as they race toward the 1,144 needed to clinch the GOP nomination.

In Arizona, Romney won comfortably with 48 per cent support. Santorum had 26 per cent.

The campaign in Michigan, as in other hotly contested states, featured a last- minute round of attacks and accusations of dirty tricks.

Romney claimed Santorum’s campaign was trying to sabotage the Michigan primary with robocalls to Democrats that urged them to cast ballots against the former Massachusetts governor.

Michigan holds an “open primary” that allows both Republicans and Democrats to vote.

“I think Republicans have to recognize there’s a real effort to kidnap our primary process,” Romney told reporters earlier at a news conference in Livonia, Mich.

“And if we want Republicans to nominate the Republican who takes on Barack Obama, I need Republicans to get out and vote and say ‘ no’ to the dirty tricks of a desperate campaign.”

Santorum’s campaign said the calls were placed to workingclass Democrats they believed might be receptive to the candidate’s pro- manufacturing message.

Santorum dismissed Romney’s complaint as unseemly whining. He said the calls to Democrats were no worse than robocalls Romney’s campaign has made featuring remarks Santorum made four years ago.

“That’s not a dirty trick?” said Santorum, who surged to the top tier of the GOP field with wins three weeks ago in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri.

Romney won the Michigan primary four years ago with 39 per cent support over Arizona Sen. John Mccain, the eventual Republican nominee.

But he struggled to seize the home- state advantage this year over Santorum, whose emphasis on tax cuts for U. S. manufacturers was paired with fiery conservative rhetoric on social issues.

Michigan and Arizona are both considered potential swing states in the November presidential election.