Romney matches Santorum's gains in delegates

[March 15, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rick Santorum won Republican presidential primaries in Alabama and Mississippi but he didn't gain any ground in the race for delegates against frontrunner Mitt Romney.

Romney wiped out Santorum's gains by winning caucuses in Hawaii and American Samoa Tuesday. For the day, Romney added at least 41 delegates and Santorum won at least 35. Newt Gingrich got at least 24 delegates and Ron Paul got at least 1. Nine delegates were still to be determined.

To date, Romney has won 52 percent of the primary and caucus delegates, while Santorum has won 28 percent and Gingrich has won 14 percent.

At their current pace, Santorum and Gingrich won't come close to catching Romney, but they could extend the primary battle. At Romney's current pace, he is on track to reach the 1,144 delegates needed to clinch the nomination this summer.

The breakdown of Tuesday's contests:

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Mississippi

Delegates at stake: 37

• Romney: 12

• Santorum: 13

• Gingrich: 12

• Paul: 0

___

Alabama

Delegates at stake: 47

• Romney: 11

• Santorum: 18

• Gingrich: 12

• Paul: 0

• Remaining: 6

___

Hawaii

Delegates at stake: 17

• Romney: 9

• Santorum: 4

• Gingrich: 0

• Paul: 1

• Remaining: 3

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American Samoa

Delegates at stake: 6

• Romney: 6
  (Romney also picked up endorsements from the three Republican National Committee members, who are automatic delegates, for a total of 9 delegates)

• Santorum: 0

• Gingrich: 0

• Paul: 0

___

Grand totals to date:

• Romney: 495

• Santorum: 252

• Gingrich: 131

• Paul: 48

Needed to win GOP nomination: 1,144

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER]

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