Mitt Romney eked out a victory in the Michigan primary on Tuesday
night, staving off a challenge from Rick Santorum to sidestep what would
have been a stinging defeat in his native state. The former
Massachusetts governor also coasted in Arizona’s winner-take-all
contest, infusing his flagging campaign with a jolt of momentum as the
Republican primary fight gears up for 10 Super Tuesday contests on March
6.
On a night that could have dealt his presidential bid a bruising
blow, Romney escaped the embarrassment of failing to carry a state that
his advisers cast as a must-win contest. With 90% of Michigan’s
precincts reporting, the fragile front runner won 41% of the vote,
drawing the decisive margin from Oakland County, the affluent suburban
Detroit region where he grew up. Santorum captured 38% of the vote, as
Romney held down the former Pennsylvania Senator’s edge in rural areas
and the conservative Western Michigan counties that formed his
stronghold. Ron Paul finished third with 12%, while Newt Gingrich lagged
with 7%.
