South Carolina GOP Primary Results

South Carolina GOP Primary Results.Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.
The son of George W. Romney (the former Governor of Michigan) and Lenore Romney, Mitt Romney was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and later served as a Mormon missionary in France. He received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University, and thereafter earned Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration joint degrees from Harvard's law and business schools. Romney entered the management consulting business, which led to a position at Bain & Company, where he eventually served as CEO and brought the company out of crisis. He was co-founder and head of the spin-off company Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm that became highly profitable and one of the largest such firms in the nation. The wealth Romney accumulated there would help fund his future political campaigns. Very active in his church, he served as ward bishop and later stake president in his area. He ran as the Republican candidate in the 1994 U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, losing to incumbent Ted Kennedy. Romney organized and steered the 2002 Winter Olympics as head of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, and helped turn the troubled games into a financial success.
Romney was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002, but did not seek re-election in 2006. He presided over a series of spending cuts and increases in fees that eliminated a projected $3 billion deficit. He also signed into law the Massachusetts health care reform legislation, which provided near-universal health insurance access via subsidies and state-level mandates and was the first of its kind in the nation. During the course of his political career, his positions or rhetorical emphasis have shifted more towards American conservatism in several areas.

Mitt Romney, was probably never much of a lock that traditional media seems to believe, but the results of Saturday in South Carolina, the principal remains came as a surprise.

Newt Gingrich, rising from the ashes policy for the second time with two performances lively debate this week and snatched a victory unlikely in the Palmetto State.

With 40 percent of the vote to Mitt is 27 years old, and almost all reports speaker, Newt won big and turned liquid Republican presidential race on its head again.

Just last week, Romney seemed likely to win all three initial competition, a scenario that could put him on the road relatively clear in the appointment.

But with Thursday's announcement that Rick Santorum actually won Iowa, followed by the results today, Romney is now a front-runner who has lost two of the three.

The result was a quick turnaround extraordinary fortune Gingrich, after it has ended up the top three in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

Was then described his candidacy as Newt had granted him his campaign could be over for good tonight if he failed to turn in a solid performance.

This in turn has such a performance, and as such, the quest to represent the Republican Party against President Barack Obama in November is quite far from over.

This marks the first time that three different Republican candidates have won the first trio of the competition in what was an unpredictable race from the beginning.

Since 1980, every winner in South Carolina GOP primary has gone on to win the nomination, but if Gingrich can continue this series is far from certain.

Romney is by far the most formidable resources and financial organization, giving him a big tip of Florida, which holds its January 1, 31, and beyond.

Santorum finished third and fourth of Ron Paul in South Carolina. Candidates face off in a debate again Monday night in Tampa. Stay tuned.

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Jon Huntsman's New Hampshire Primary Finish Means Tough Road Ahead

Jon Huntsman's New Hampshire Primary Finish Means Tough Road Ahead.MANCHESTER, NH - A third place finish in New Hampshire was much better than Jon Huntsman, was scheduled for a few days ago, but it may still be far short of what it needs to continue his campaign.

The former governor of Utah is facing an additional set of problems which confronted him as he campaigned almost non-stop in the state where he staked his campaign. Here, we had to convince voters to ignore the national polls that have been ignoring it and pursue their own tendencies Maverick. South Carolina - where he hopes to capitalize on a split among conservatives and make the environment as the new alternative anti-Mitt Romney - and beyond, we have to do without the latest retail or land use.
It will also have to do while trying to reclaim the momentum of a good return for the third place winner.

It's not like Huntsman described the situation to his raucous party here.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I think we're in the hunt," Huntsman said, hundreds of supporters in a rousing "Join the Hunt" song.

In his speech, Huntsman has sought to contrast with the rest of the Republican field for the tribute he paid to the old party politics and New Hampshire voters by giving the individual attention they demand.

"We've proven the point that the state wants its candidates to win it the old way, which is the handshake of the soil by handshake, conversation by conversation, vote by vote. We succeeded, ladies and gentlemen, "he said.

Take more than 170 public events here; as it entered the race, Huntsman relies on his long and intense slog on the ground presence to deliver a strong performance primary for him. His showing here also hinged to the large number of independent voters in the state - the exit polling showed 4 of 10 unaffiliated voters were a record number - to give a critical boost.

But the factors that Huntsman was in third place here will not be on the other hand, if he continues to South Carolina - where he is scheduled for Wednesday for a series of events - and later in Florida.

While the former Governor and Ambassador has worked tirelessly in New Hampshire, ahead of all his Republican rivals, he spent time just focused on the rest of the state map at the beginning, and has little infrastructure in place in South Carolina. And in September, lagging in the polls and low on money - Huntsman moved its headquarters from Florida presidential campaign to New Hampshire, staking his entire campaign on finishing upset in the first-in-the nation -primary.

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Mitt Romney Celebrates New Hampshire Primary Victory

Mitt Romney Celebrates New Hampshire Primary Victory.On Tuesday, Romney win gave a sweep first and second in the leadoff voting campaign 2012, for the first time any Republican besides a president, as the race moved to South Carolina Florida.

Conservative candidates who stand the best chance to stop there - former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Governor Rick Perry - were dragged back and it seemed unlikely that a major survey of its performances here.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was a second solid, but the expansion will have difficulty in showing in the states that are less favorable to the libertarian view on social issues and foreign policy.

Jon Huntsman Jr. was third weak, with only about half of Romney's share of the vote. The former governor of Utah, which concentrates most of his campaign in this state, insisted on moving forward.

Romney, who lost the state four years ago, tried to convey an air of inevitability to his nomination with a speech on Tuesday night celebration that focused more on the fall elections.

Speaking to a boisterous crowd of supporters in Manchester less than half an hour after the polls closed, the former governor of Massachusetts complained that President Obama "wants to put on a free trial." But it also had a hard blow to what he described as "desperate" Republican rivals, who have intensified their attacks on his record in private enterprise - a group that includes Perry, Gingrich and Huntsman.

"This is a mistake for us and for our nation," Romney said. "The country already has a leader that divides us the bitter politics of envy."

Romney, who flies to South Carolina Wednesday, he went directly to the voters of that state, urging them to make 2012 the year that Obama's presidency "run out of time."

Interviews of voters leaving their polling places showed a broad victory, sweeping the Republican Party favorite. He led most age groups, income and population, as well as voters across almost the entire political and ideological spectrum, including conservative supporters of the Tea Party. Among self-identified independents, however, Paul won the majority.

Romney leaders started there too, but the challenge promises to be much more formidable than New Hampshire, who was the former governor of Massachusetts to lose from the beginning. Unlike Iowa, where leaders come and gone over the polls, no poll showed Romney never less than a substantial double-digit lead in New Hampshire.

In South Carolina, however, Romney does not have what amounts to a home-field advantage - which is the sixth presidential Massachusetts hopes to win the Granite State neighbors - and will face a very different electorate in the South first primary next week.

South Carolina has a large and politically important bloc of evangelical voters. Romney will face resistance among some Christian conservatives who are suspicious, if not outright hostile to his Mormon faith. In New Hampshire, just 14% of those who voted on Tuesday, said to be a "true conservative" was the most important thing for them, far behind the economic interests cited by six in 10 voters, according to interviews election day by the television networks.

Romney also faces a tighter pack of runners.

After great struggle between them for the past few months, came after Romney in New Hampshire with a sudden ferocity, casting him in a debate on Sunday and beat him since most of his work at Bain Capital, the private investment firm was co-founder and the source of his personal wealth.

While citing his business experience as a virtue, especially in contrast to Washington's extensive resume most of his rivals, Romney's opponents have described him as a ruthless corporate raider touches work.

They were given a cane in his campaign on Monday with a comment torn from their original context: ". I like being able to fire people," Though Romney made the comments in relation to health and holding companies insurance, rivals seized on it as evidence of insensitivity.

However, Romney moves with many advantages, at least not a big advantage in money and organization of the campaign, which becomes increasingly important as the choice of shifts statewide races in Iowa and New Hampshire to a large number of state contests across the country.

Wins in South Carolina on January 21 and Florida 10 days later, everyone can, but make sure that Romney is going to the nomination, and sooner rather than later.

Part of its strength derives from the weakness of the opposition.

Each of your opponents has a special appeal for the segments of the Republican base - Paul with independent, Santorum and Perry with the conservatives, and Gingrich with voters looking for intellectual heft and a long view. None, however, offer a complete package, which has driven Romney, with the continued support of at least a quarter of the electorate in almost everywhere.

That could also benefit, as it did rattle victory last week in Iowa, where evangelicals and Tea Party acolytes split their votes among several contenders for the right, which Romney to prevail over a field of people.

Immediately, after Sunday's debate Perry retired to South Carolina, where Romney has been hitting in its action Bain. Paul, a congressman from the Houston area, will compete there too, but has said it will not make a great effort in Florida, which conducted the first major primary state at the end of the month.

Huntsman has also set his sights on South Carolina, but still has much ground to recover. Despite having invested early, has spent little time there lately and relatively centrist position is likely to play as well as they did in more moderate New Hampshire, where he carried the vote of the Democrats who passed on Tuesday. Florida would require a heavy investment in advertising dollars just to be better known to Huntsman.

"I would say the third is a ticket to ride," said Huntsman supporters. "Hello, South Carolina!"

Four years ago, another moderate Republican, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was a similar strategy, ignoring Iowa and make a last effort in Florida. He finished third weak and leave the campaign the next day.

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Republican Debate Turns Testy

Republican Debate Turns Testy.Reports from Goffstown, N.H. -
Move to catch a clear lead in the Republican contest, Mitt Romney has remained above the fray in a televised debate his opponents chose to badger each other, rather than taking on front-runner.

With the New Hampshire primary in three days - and Romney holding a lead there, and in the next to South Carolina - time is running out for someone to slow the progression of Romney. But the decision of its rivals to fight them revived a model that has worked to the advantage of Romney - assuming the role of nominee unofficial and focusing his attacks on President Obama.

"Really, this election is the soul of America," said Romney, who never appeared ruffled by his rivals or questions of the panelists at the ABC / Yahoo / WMUR-TV debate Saturday night. "Today we have a president in Washington who put America on a road to decline. Militarily, international and national, he made us into something we would not recognize."

The former Massachusetts governor, in a rare attack a rival, went after Jon M. Huntsman Jr., after the former U.S. ambassador to China challenged Romney hard line rhetoric in this country. Romney noted that Huntsman had served in the Obama administration in Beijing while others debate on the scene tried to elect Republican candidates in the election 2010.

Huntsman, whose personal rivalry with Romney is deeply rooted, said in Mandarin that Romney "does not quite understand the situation" and said Romney hard-line policy toward China would wind up hurting small businesses in America inciting a trade war. Romney, refusing to back down, replied that he had heard this for 10 years.

With one exception, the candidates broke little ground on issues during the contest. Texas Governor Rick Perry was the exception, calling for the dispatch of U.S. troops in Iraq to return immediately to quell bloody unrest there since the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Obama, he said, had bowed to "the base of liberal left" and opened the door to move Iran in Iraq.

"They will return, and all the work we've done, every young man who lost his life in this country has been for nothing because we have a president who does not understand what is happening in this region," Perry said. None of the other contenders have endorsed the idea.

The reluctance by the other candidates taking the Romney was more evident in the case of Rick Santorum, who earlier in the day said that America needed a leader, not a manager, as its next president. He had to be cajoled by the ABC, Diane Sawyer in recognizing he was referring to Romney. Only late in the debate - 11 / 2 hours - not to release the Santorum Romney by criticizing his past support for a term of individual care, the rescue of Wall Street and a cap-and-trade curb global warming.

Newt Gingrich, in response to a question about a movie scathing attack on Romney by a "Super PAC" that supports the candidacy of Gingrich said without enthusiasm record Romney at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he founded, should be considered.

"If it's factually accurate, it raises questions," Gingrich said of the film. Pressed by ABC, George Stephanopoulos, save Gingrich earlier claim that Romney made money "by companies in bankruptcy," former House speaker refers to an article on job losses in companies taken over by Bain. “This is their story, "he said.

In one of the largest exchanges, Ron Paul of Texas has refused to back down from his characterization of Gingrich as a "chicken hawk" for not serving in the Vietnam War.

"I think people that do not serve when they could have, they get three or four or five overs, they have no right to send our children to war," he said. "I try to stop wars, but at least I went when they called me."

Gingrich replied that Paul was not telling the truth.

"Dr. Paul has a long history of saying things that are inaccurate and false the fact is that I never asked for a postponement -. I am married with a child, "he said, adding that as a" Army Brat ", he understood military matters in a personal way." I think I have a fairly good idea of ​​what it is like a family to worry about your father being killed, and personally, I returned the kind of comments and slander, he regularly without adequate information and only then insults people. "

Paul spoke that he needed a follow-up. “When I was drafted, I was married and had two children and I went," he said.

Gingrich, returning to a stance that earned him applause of voters in the previous debates, the moderators also criticized after a series of questions about gay marriage.

"There is much more anti-Christian bigotry these days and none of this is covered by the news media," he said to applause from the audience on the campus of St. Anselm College.

Paul, who is hitting Santorum with ads in South Carolina that use corrupt, stood in the attack and claimed that former Senator from Pennsylvania was not a true conservative.

"Say you're a conservative, I believe, is a stretch," says Paul. "But you have convinced many people to him, so that someone has to point out your record."

Paul Santorum criticized for appearing on a ranking of the most corrupt politicians, taking money from lobbyists, voting to raise the debt ceiling, supporting No Child Left Behind, and other positions.

Santorum replied that the list he appeared on was developed by a group of liberals. "It's a ridiculous accusation. And you should know better than to quote George Soros organizations like that, "he said.

The former senator said he had voted in the best interests of his state, and, after leaving his post, he worked on issues he cared, including Iran, health and the coal.

The placement of candidates reflects major changes in the race since the last debate, just three weeks ago. Santorum has been moved from wing to center stage on the strength of its first virtual tie in the Iowa caucuses.

Santorum was standing next to Romney, all but a favorite son in the state: It has a holiday home cost in New Hampshire and Massachusetts next to the governed, but he took nothing for granted. It invested millions of dollars in advertising and spent dozens of days of campaigning here.

The debate, the 14th of the campaign was part of a rare doubleheader. Exactly 10 hours after completion, the candidates were due to the camera in Concord, the capital of the state, for yet another meeting of the network, on NBC "Meet the Press."

After Sunday's debate, the candidates split briefly. Santorum and Perry will travel to South Carolina, where voters have a strong evangelical than they are in New Hampshire. Romney will remain in New Hampshire, where he is scheduled to campaign with the New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, one of many alternatives; he brought to the closing days. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley campaign with him Saturday in New Hampshire.

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For Santorum, Miles to Go Before He Sleeps

For Santorum, Miles to Go Before He Sleeps.MANCHESTER, NH - Despite the debate on Saturday night, Rick Santorum kept a busy schedule throughout the day. Usually, candidates will spend a day of debate in solitude with staff members, planning their strategies on how to deal with their rivals and the best way to have an impact on viewers.

This is especially true this weekend, during the return-to-back debates are scheduled for Saturday night and Sunday morning. They are the first debate since before the Christmas holidays and the first since voting began last week in the Iowa caucuses. They will also be the first to six, not seven candidates, as the Minnesota representative Michele Bachmann dropped last week.

All this means that if the candidates had much practice in discussions in recent months, the dynamics of the race have changed in many ways.

So far, Mr. Santorum was stuck on the sidelines of debates because its poor projections in the polls did not justify more clearly.

But since he lost the Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney at a mere eight votes, is likely to share the stage on Saturday night with Mr. Romney. Having started to move in the polls, it is likely to face the attacks of his rivals not used.

If Mr. Santorum is preparing a strategy to adapt to a new discussion of his new popularity, it has to be connection between its many manifestations. His days are usually filled - on Friday, he ran an event across southern New Hampshire, making six saves, not including various interviews broadcast - and it provides almost as full a day on Saturday.

He started at a university forum at St. Anselm College on the economy and the middle class. He became more passionate as he took Obama to task for encouraging people to pursue higher education. Mr. Santorum called the excesses and arrogance, saying that if any of his seven children did not go to college, he would be happy for them to do something else.

After the forum, he had planned to go door to door in a neighborhood in Manchester to shake hands and ask residents for their votes. But he never showed up. About 20 protesters occupy Wall Street movements were preparing to demonstrate against him. It is not clear whether Mr. Santorum has been to avoid the demonstrators.

But it can be seen at the next event, where another demonstration is planned at the Homestead Deli in Amherst, south-west of Manchester. It is then a meeting at town hall style Hollis, further south in the most populous state, followed by a meeting-and-greet at the pharmacy, which is scheduled for 3:45.

Only then, he planned "down time" to prepare the debates.

Such a program reflects the intense demands of compression, primary six days here in New Hampshire, where voters go to the polls Tuesday. Every minute exposure helps, especially on a Saturday, which can help a candidate to advertise in the Sunday papers.

In addition, Mr. Santorum plans to rush to South Carolina, which votes next Sunday after the debate. Perhaps the debate and full Saturday schedule will be sufficient to feed the beast the media until he returns for the final push on the campaign Monday. And surely then, it will be another busy day.

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