Romney picks up win in Washington state
SEATTLE, Washington, March 4, 2012 (AFP) - Mitt Romney picked up another victory in the race for the Republican presidential nomination late Saturday as he carried his party's caucuses in the northwestern state of Washington.
Romney declared victory in the contest after returns showed him far ahead of former senator Rick Santorum and Texas congressman Ron Paul, who struggled for second place.
With 93 percent of the ballots counted, Romney was ahead with 37 percent of the vote, Paul ran a distant second with 25 percent followed closely by Santorum with 24 percent.
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich was fourth with just 11 percent of the vote.
“I'm heartened to have won the Washington caucuses, and I thank the voters for their support,” Romney said after most of the precincts had reported. “Every day that passes with Barack Obama in the White House is a day in which America's recovery from the economic crisis is delayed.”party officials said there was record turnout for the caucuses, the latest state-by-state race to pick the Republican party's candidate to challenge Democratic President Barack Obama in November.
While attendees differed in their candidate of choice, they generally agreed on one thing.
“I think the imperative is to replace Obama,” said a 68-year-old
Romney declared victory in the contest after returns showed him far ahead
man,who attended the caucus at Seattle's Roosevelt High School but declined to be identified. “Basically, he is leading us down the path to Socialism and the loss of freedom, the loss of individual liberty.”