The LuLac Edition #1977, March 10th, 2012

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SANTORUM WINS KANSAS

ROMNEY WINS WYOMING

Rick Santorum easily won the Republican presidential caucuses in Kansas on Saturday, but front-runner Mitt Romney was victorious in the Wyoming county caucuses and other balloting that extended his GOP delegate lead. Santorum campaigned in Kansas on Wednesday and Friday, telling voters that his values and vision were a good match for this deep-red GOP stronghold. The former Pennsylvania senator already has notched wins in nearby Oklahoma, Colorado, Missouri and Iowa. With all of the precincts reporting, the AP reported Santorum had 51% of the Kansas vote. That compared with 21% for front-runner Mitt Romney, who didn't visit the state, and 14% for Newt Gingrich, who canceled a scheduled trip to the state late last week to concentrate on Tuesday's primaries in Alabama and Mississippi. Rep. Ron Paul, who also didn't spend much time in the state, came in fourth with nearly 13% of the vote.
In Wyoming, Mitt Romney had 44% of the vote with all of the precincts reporting, the AP reported. Santorum had 28%, while Paul had 12%, and Gingrich had less than 1%.
Santorum had made Kansas a priority this week, campaigning across the state and telling voters that he needed a win here. He said a victory in Kansas could provide momentum as the presidential nominating contest heads south next week. Mississippi and Alabama will hold contests Tuesday that could be pivotal, as Romney continues to build a commanding lead in the delegate count and Santorum argues that he still could win the nomination. Most of Kansas's 40 delegates will go to Santorum under a formula that is partially proportional to the caucus vote. In Wyoming, Romney picked up at least six of 12 delegates after the local party meetings that also delivered at least two delegates to Rick Santorum, the Associated Press reported.
Romney can also count on seven delegates from the U.S. Virgin Islands after he won the territory's caucus.
Romney already had three super delegates before Saturday's caucuses, and he picked up three more in voting in St. Thomas and St. Croix. After the vote, an uncommitted delegate switched to Romney. On to the deep South on Tuesday.