Romney Quiets Critics With Michigan Primary Win
When he needed it most, Mitt Romney’s home state of Michigan came through for him.
Romney, the frontrunner in the GOP’s nomination battle, clinched a key victory on Tuesday in Michigan’s presidential primary. With 88 percent of votes tallied, he lead former US Senator Rick Santorum 41 percent to 38 percent. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) placed third, with 12 percent of the vote, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich rounded out the pack in fourth, with 7 percent.
In his victory speech, Romney thanked his supporters while admitting his Michigan victory wasn’t as decisive as he might have hoped for. “We didn’t win by a lot, but we won by enough and that’s all that matters,” he said.
Romney’s campaign faced a barrage of criticism in recent days as Santorum narrowed the gap between himself and Romney to a single percentage point. Lawmakers and pundits said that a Romney loss in Michigan would deal a body blow not only to his status as frontrunner but also as a viable candidate overall. “”From my perspective, if Romney does not win Michigan, it creates real problems for his candidacy,” Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said Tuesday morning.