Romney scores big in Puerto Rico vote

Former governor wins high margin against rivals

SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico): Mitt Romney has scored a resounding win in Puerto Rico’s Republican primary, gaining momentum in a usually overlooked race with newfound significance in the hotly contested White House race.

With the final tally on Sunday, the former Massachusetts governor won more than 83.4% of the vote, according to the State Elections Commission, in the US territory.

His chief rival Rick Santorum stood a distant second with 7.7%. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich had 2%, just ahead of representative Ron Paul’s 1.1%.

Romney claimed victory and said he believed Puerto Ricans wanted a president with experience creating jobs.

“With a population larger than 22 states, this island contributes in so many ways to the vitality of our country,” he said in a statement. “Working to advance the fortunes of this island and to better the lives of everyone living here will be an important goal of my presidency.” The island off the US mainland has only 20 delegates at stake for the Republican National Convention in August but has been courted vigorously by the Republican contenders in part because the broader US Hispanic vote is seen as crucial to the election outcome.

Given the margin of Romney’s victory, he will receive all the delegates.

The four remaining Republican contenders are trying to reach the magic number of 1,144 delegates to lock up the nomination.

Romney, who was in Puerto Rico early Saturday and visited a fruit market, told reporters he was “cautiously optimistic” for a strong showing.

Romney had the endorsement of Puerto Rico governor Luis Fortuno, who shepherded the candidate through two days of campaign events.

The vote came two days before today’s primary in Obama’s adopted state of Illinois, seen as a major election prize for whomever prevails there.