Road To The White House - 2012 Week Two

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 15 January 2012 12:11

Written by Janet Walker

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The Granite State proved to be rock solid for GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney as he handily defeated all comers in last week’s New Hampshire primary.

With all 301 precincts reporting, Romney took the prize with 39.4% of the votes; his closest challenger Texas Rep. Ron Paul came in with 22.9% and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman received a surprising 16.8%.

Rounding out the pack, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum are still battling for fourth and fifth place as the slim lead is separated by only sixteen votes with Gingrich at 9.4% and Santorum 9.3%; Texas Governor Rick Perry, came in sixth with .07%.

With the single key issue, unemployment, as the determining factor the Republican Party voters are sounding out and making decisive choices as they look ahead to the general election in November.

The next two January primaries, South Carolina and Florida, loom large on the horizon and several of the contender’s campaigns are facing must win situations. South Carolina is one of the few open primaries that allow all parties, Republican, Democrats and Independents to participate. The results could be a spoiler for party leader Mitt Romney as the contenders add an additional well known name, Herman Cain who suspended his presidential campaign, to the ballot bringing the choices to nine.

The candidates are campaigning hard in these battleground states, which split in the 2008 general election, to take the win and garner a percentage of the disenfranchised and undecided voter.