Republican primary voting in Alabama, Mississippi could clarify presidential race
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, addresses supporters while appearing with comedian Jeff Foxworthy at the Whistle Stop cafe March 12, 2012, in Mobile, Ala. Alabama and Mississippi hold their primaries March 13. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Closely fought primaries in Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday could bring some clarity to the GOP presidential race, giving Mitt Romney a key opportunity in a region slow to embrace him or sealing Newt Gingrich's fate.
With polls showing an unexpectedly tight race in the conservative bellwether states, Romney made a campaign appearance Monday in Alabama — a clear indication he was eyeing a potential win there, The Associated Press reported.
Polls show the former Massachusetts governor leading or effectively tied with Gingrich in each state, according to CNN.
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Rick Santorum trailed in both polls — 10 points behind Gingrich in Alabama and 12 points behind Romney in Mississippi. The fourth GOP candidate, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, has not campaigned in either state, CNN reported.
Gingrich is combining regional appeal, his characteristic pugnacity and an aggressive push on gas prices to give Romney the stiffest competition in Mississippi and Alabama, Politico reported.
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The former House speaker has vowed to remain in the race until the Republican National Convention in August despite winning just two states.
Santorum, angling to campaign head-to-head with Romney, pressed the case again that Gingrich should consider stepping aside, AP reported.
“People of Mississippi and Alabama want a conservative,” he told reporters in Biloxi. “If they want a conservative nominee for sure, they can do that by lining up behind us and making this race clearly a two-person race outside of the South.”
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Romney has more delegates than his rivals combined, and is amassing them at a rate that puts him on track to clinch control of nomination before the convention opens this summer.
An AP tally shows him with 454 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination. Santorum has 217, Gingrich 107 and Paul 47.