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Santorum declared winner in Missouri, Minnesota
Washington Post ^ | 02/07/2012 | By Philip Rucker and Nia-Malika Henderson

Posted on 02/07/2012 8:12:03 PM PST by SeekAndFind

DENVER — Rick Santorum had a breakthrough night on Tuesday by winning the Missouri primary and the Minnesota caucuses, breathing life into his struggling campaign and slowing Mitt Romney’s march to the Republican presidential nomination.

Early returns had Santorum running two-to-one over Romney in Missouri, and the Associated Press projected he would win the state’s “beauty contest” primary, which awards no delegates but provides fresh momentum to the former Pennsylvania senator’s campaign.

Romney was hoping to extend his winning streak as he tried to strengthen his claim to the mantle of the presumptive nominee, but he was bracing for a loss in one or more states as Santorum made an aggressive run in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.

Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.), who has yet to secure a win in the 2012 sweepstakes, mobilized his loyal support networks in the three states, banking on low turnout in the non-binding contests to give him a win.

Meanwhile, Newt Gingrich did not compete in Missouri, which was holding a “beauty contest” primary that awarded no delegates. The former House speaker looked past Tuesday’s contests and instead campaigned in Ohio, one of several delegate-rich states voting March 6 on “Super Tuesday,” when he hopes to jump-start his struggling candidacy.

The Colorado and Minnesota caucuses are not binding and would not award convention delegates, but at stake Tuesday night was the prestige of winning.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Minnesota; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: minnesota; missouri; mn2012; mo2012; santorum; santorum2012
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To: SeekAndFind

The win in Missouri is key. As a battleground state, the fact that Romney finished so far back should be weaken his ‘electability’ arguement.


21 posted on 02/07/2012 8:37:36 PM PST by TexasNative2000 (Jimmy Carter's incompetence + Richard Nixon's paranoia = Barack Obama)
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To: ReformationFan

RE: This is good news.

Not to Santorum haters in this forum ( and there’s quite a number ). His nickname given by these group of posters is — TRICKY RICKY.


22 posted on 02/07/2012 8:38:47 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: ConservativeDude

I’m up for any solution that gets us a good conservative nominee who can beat Obama, and that by definition excludes Romney!


23 posted on 02/07/2012 8:39:21 PM PST by bigbob
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To: Controlling Legal Authority; Clintonfatigued; Impy; fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican
Newt's supporters have been constantly saying Santorum needs to drop out and endorse Newt so conservatives can "stop Romney", but if he had done so this week, today's headlines would read "Romney surge continues with big wins in Missouri, Minnesota. Political experts: After 4-state sweep, Romney nomination seen as inevitable"

Of course, they've been saying "only Newt can stop Romney" before Newt had even won a single primary, so today's results will probably be cited as more "proof" that only Newt can win.

Perhaps one of the "Santorum should drop out to stop Romney" freepers can tell me which primary would have gone differently if Santorum hadn't been running? Certainly not Missouri, unless you're going to make a case Newt would have waged a massively successful and unprecedented write-in campaign that topped Storm Thurmond and Lisa Murkowski. Even in Florida, if Santorum had "dropped out", endorsed Romney, and gotten EVERY single one of his voters to support Newt (which certainly wouldn't have happened as some would have voted for Romney, Ron Paul, or stayed home)... but let's go with the statistically impossible scenario of ALL the Santorum's voters in FL switching en masse to Newt... it STILL wouldn't have changed the results.

How exactly does Santorum dropping out "stop Romney"? If this is the most (and only) important issue in the primary, let's hear some evidence how it works.

24 posted on 02/07/2012 8:45:24 PM PST by BillyBoy (Illegals for Perry/Gingrich 2012 : Don't be "heartless"/ Be "humane")
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To: SeekAndFind

I am Catholic and have been pleasantly surprised to see how fired up my Catholic friends are about the HHS mandate. Also, Catholics I know who have always been conservative but silent are now being vocal. So maybe the Catholics in Name Only will start feeling the heat as well.


25 posted on 02/07/2012 8:46:18 PM PST by Elvina (BHO is doubleplus ungood.)
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To: ConservativeDude

and I agree with you.....


26 posted on 02/07/2012 8:47:54 PM PST by Kimmers (Pray more and shoot straight.........)
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To: ConservativeDude
Personally, I am very worried that neither Gingrich nor Romney can defeat obama. I think Santorum actually could....maybe it is time to get behind Santorum!

I think Santorum could have a wide appeal once he gets his message out.

27 posted on 02/07/2012 8:48:28 PM PST by Elvina (BHO is doubleplus ungood.)
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To: ez

Colorado: Santorum 42, Romney 26, Gingrich 15, Paul 12 (28% in)


28 posted on 02/07/2012 8:50:44 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: Controlling Legal Authority

Toobad Santorum is a RINO, otherwise I’d be excited about this.


29 posted on 02/07/2012 8:50:44 PM PST by Apollo5600
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m watching Mittens speech. He looks shaken.


30 posted on 02/07/2012 8:51:31 PM PST by Tribune7 (GAS WAS $1.85 per gallon on the day Obama was Inaugurated! - - freeper Gaffer)
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To: Apollo5600

RE: Toobad Santorum is a RINO, otherwise I’d be excited about this.

Who among these 4 isn’t according to you?


31 posted on 02/07/2012 8:51:54 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: 21twelve; Absolutely Nobama; afraidfortherepublic; AmericanInTokyo; American Constitutionalist; ...


Santorum for President ping. Let me know if you want on or off the list.

Top 10 Reasons why Conservatives should support Santorum

16 Reasons Why Mitt Romney Would Be a Really, Really Bad President
32 posted on 02/07/2012 8:54:13 PM PST by Antoninus (Mitt Romney -- attempting to execute a hostile take-over of the Republican Party.)
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To: BillyBoy

Part of the problem is that Santorum lies about Newt’s record, though he just gets less press about it since he can’t afford the ads. As a result, it depresses turnout, and since Santorum doesn’t have much to offer, he doesn’t always gain any benefits.

Newt has to win, because, honestly, Santorum is an empty suit. A Romney vs Santorum would be pretty tedious, and I doubt Santorum would handle his own medicine from Romney, especially when Romney has more money.

Santorum is a bottom feeder. He should drop, as he’ll interfere in the real important states.


33 posted on 02/07/2012 8:54:27 PM PST by Apollo5600
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To: SeekAndFind

Yeah but this doesn’t count for anything Romney is still the big winner, yada, yada, yada. Has anyone noticed how many times the words non-binding are used in the headlines? If Romney had won what would the headlines be?


34 posted on 02/07/2012 8:56:00 PM PST by itsahoot (I will Vote for Palin, even if I have to write her in.(Recycled Tagline))
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To: SeekAndFind

Hey GOP elite ... are you listening?????????

Outstanding evening for Conservatism!!!!!


35 posted on 02/07/2012 8:56:41 PM PST by RIghtwardHo
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To: SeekAndFind

wow, and I was constantly writing Santorum off as a good candidate but no chance to win. I was wrong, very wrong.


36 posted on 02/07/2012 8:56:46 PM PST by Cronos (Party like it's 12 20, 2012)
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To: Logical me

“Romney just browned his pants.”

You mean his magic underwear.


37 posted on 02/07/2012 8:59:25 PM PST by garjog (If not Newt, who?)
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To: doc1019

“Only Presidential candidate to ever receive money from me. Wish him the best.”

That makes three of us (my husband and I donated to Santorum last week).
“President Santorum” sounds so lovely and hopeful.


38 posted on 02/07/2012 9:00:20 PM PST by EverOnward
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To: SeekAndFind

My first choice is Gingrich and my second is Santorum.
I am very happy Santorum has done so well tonight, if for no other reason than to smack Romney in that condescending smug face of his.


39 posted on 02/07/2012 9:01:36 PM PST by svcw (Only difference between Romney & BH is one thinks he will be god & other one thinks he already is.)
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To: ConservativeDude
CD, I have had the same thought progression.

Mitt is...um...Mitt, and

Gingrich is something of a dissolute slob (not electable in today's glam election settings.)

No candidate is perfect, and Santorum has some flaws. But nothing comparable to Romney Care or Gingrich's lack of sustained focus, sustained allegiance to principle, and sustained allegiance to spouse.

I'll vote for whomever gets the GOP nomination (NO THIRD PARTY SPOILER!), but I believe that Santorum is our best candidate.

.

40 posted on 02/07/2012 9:03:46 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except to convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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