Romney pads delegate lead with Super Tuesday wins

[March 08, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney padded his lead in the race for delegates Tuesday by winning Republican presidential contests in six states.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum added delegates by winning contests three states, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won the primary in Georgia, the state he used to represent in Congress.

Romney won at least 212 Super Tuesday delegates and Santorum won at least 84. Gingrich won at least 72 delegates and Texas Rep. Ron Paul got at least 22.

So far, Romney is winning 54 percent of the Super Tuesday delegates; Santorum is winning 22 percent.

A total of 419 delegates were up for grabs in 10 states Tuesday. A handful were left be allocated.

In the overall race for convention delegates, Romney leads with 415, including endorsements from members of the Republican National Committee who automatically attend the convention and can support any candidate they choose. Santorum has 176 delegates, Gingrich has 105 and Paul has 47.

It will take 1,144 delegates at the party's national convention this summer to win the Republican nomination for president.

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER]

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