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Subscribe to RSSWith 99% in, Romney led Santorum in Illinois 47%-35%. He got 41 of 54 delegates up for grabs so far. Santorum got 10. Total: Romney 485, Santorum 193, Gingrich 137, Paul 34. That means Romney is 42% of the way to the magic number of 1,144.
Romney won by running up the score in seven areas in or near Chicago. His margin of victory was 107,000 votes, but he got a 122,000-vote difference out of these areas -- the Cook suburbs (45,000), Dupage County (27,000), Lake County (16,000), Chicago (14,000), Will County (8,000), Kane County (7,000), McHenry County (5,000).
The Chicago Tribune called it a “decisive victory.” More: “The results provided the former Massachusetts governor with a sizable victory and also resurrected the aura of inevitability that his campaign has tried to project, only to be thwarted by close elections and even defeats in other states. Yet low voter turnout throughout Illinois raised questions about Republican enthusiasm for any of the presidential contenders….”
PAUL: He told Jay Leno that Secret Service protection is “a form of welfare.” But if he were to get Secret Service protection, he would choose the nickname “Bulldog.” “I go after the Fed and all that big spending,” he said.
ROMNEY: Illinois “was a far more substantial showing for Romney than the grudging victories he eked out in the previous few weeks in Michigan and Ohio, primaries that did as much to raise questions about his ability to attract Republican support as to quell those questions,” the AP writes.
The AP: “Mitt Romney's win in the Illinois Republican primary rested on broad leads among voters with higher incomes and more formal education, with a boost from those focused on defeating President Barack Obama in November….”
The New York Daily News: “Mitt Romney scored a big Heartland win in Illinois Tuesday, knocking back Rick Santorum and leaving himself poised to grab the GOP front-runner mantle for good.”
Fred Barnes: "Mitt Romney is close to finishing off his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, talk of a brokered GOP convention in August, and the prospect of a new candidate suddenly entering the contest." (Hat tip: Political Wire)
Bill Kristol though wasn’t impressed. "Watching Mitt Romney's victory speech in Illinois didn't reassure me about his chances against President Obama.
Another victory for Romney – FreedomWorks has dropped its opposition to him: “It is a statistical fact that the numbers favor Mitt Romney,” FreedomWorks Vice President Russ Walker told The Washington Times. “We are dedicated to defeating Obama and electing a conservative Senate that will help Romney repeal Obamacare and address the nation’s economic and spending challenges.”
SANTORUM: From Gettysburg, Santorum pointed to win in conservative areas: "If you look at what's going to happen tonight, we're going to win Downstate, we're going to win central Illinois, we're going to (win) western Illinois," he said. "We won the areas that conservatives and Republicans populate. We're very happy about that. We're happy about the delegates we're going to get too."
The Chicago Tribune’s editorial page: “Watching Illinois vote totals overwhelm him from a Tuesday night gathering in Gettysburg, Pa., Rick Santorum must have felt the anguish of all those Confederate ghosts. Like Gen. Robert E. Lee attacking the Union's Maj. Gen. George Meade, Santorum had a direct shot: Illinois was Santorum vs. Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul mostly bypassed the Land of Lincoln. Here Santorum could prove that, in a two-man fight in a big and diverse state, voters would rally to him. Illinois would be for him what Confederates hoped for Pickett's Charge: a shocking puncture that turns a battle's tide. In the end, Gen. Lee had to withdraw from Gettysburg; his trail of wounded Rebs famously stretched 14 miles. Santorum doesn't have to withdraw from anything. But his fight for Illinois ended in comparable defeat.”
The Boston Globe’s Rowland: “April, for Rick Santorum, may indeed be the cruelest month. … He has a good chance of beating Mitt Romney in the southern state of Louisiana on Saturday, the last primary election in March. But after that, April brings votes in seven northern states and the District of Columbia that award a combined 329 delegates. Romney is favored in most with the exception of Santorum’s home state of Pennsylvania and perhaps Wisconsin. If Romney performs strongly and the delegate math increasingly favors the front-runner, Santorum will face increasing calls to stand down from his challenge by the end of the month.”
The Washington Post’s Tumulty on Santorum: “[T]the very qualities that made him a contender are turning into problems, as he is more frequently being tripped up by saying what is on his mind and by sometimes-errant tactical instincts. His candid comments and unconventional moves were badges of authenticity in the early contests, but they now raise doubts about Santorum’s capacity to be his party’s standard-bearer in the general election. And they have hampered Santorum’s ability to capitalize on opportunities to narrow the gap with Mitt Romney, particularly in large states with diverse electorates.”
The New York Daily News: “It looks like Rick Santorum may have a ‘Jeremiah Wright’ of his own. The Republican presidential candidate is coming under the microscope after he attended a Louisiana church service this week where the pastor suggested non-Christians should ‘get out’ of America.
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Just as long as we get rid of the downgrade president!
Your avatar is Racist.
Really, this nomination is too long and it's far from being over... It seems like a huge waste of money and millions, probably billions of dollar by the time it's all over...
There needs to be a faster and better way for America to elect people to office... So far, what we have, has nothing to do with qualifications just how much money you can raise... Then when someone is elected they lobby for more money, it continues when they leave office, then comes the books... Enough already...
You are showing your true colors. You can care less about the economy, gas prices. equality and the like. You don't want an african american president. You would probably vote Bush back into office for more tax cuts for the wealthy. You don't care about America (our melting pot). White is right in your book. Great Avatar it speaks volumes.
There is still a possibility of a brokered convention. Mitt has a way of getting cocky and sticking his foot in his mouth.
While hosting Ron Paul on the Tonight Show, Jay Leno was nothing short of a pathetic whining Obama-poodle.
"There is nothing the President can do about gas prices, right?.. He has nothing to do with it, right...not a thing..."
"Can't blame the President for any of this, can we, Mr Paul?"
Bob in Virginia,
Is it kind of like Piers Morgan being nice to his Republican guests? I watched him with Scott Brown and he was inches away from sticking his head up Brown's a$$.
Isn't Piers Morgan the same guy who was making excuses for the owner of Fox News....what's his name....not the Saudi prince...oh, yes - RUPER MURDOCH!?
Watching the Republican primary, it's clear Romney wants this nomination in the worst way possible - and by the look of his negative ads hitting opponents, he's getting it that way.
Bob get a life, your whining is getting old. It used to be fun to watch you tie yourself up with anger, now it's just pathetic.
I thought the people of Missouri were smarter than that. You must be a transplant you can't be from Missouri
Missourian all my life openmind. You must live in the rural south part of the state where all the tea people Koch republicans live.
Not hardly St Charles County Where we bring our children up to support themselves and not look for the next handout from the government.
So your saying the tea people Koch republicans in southern Missouri are looking for the next handout from the government? No wonder your so angry you live in the Democratic part of Missouri. So you do see the benefits of living in a Democratic area by being able to bring your children up to support themselves. You should be thinking the Democrats for making your life better.
This is the most stereotyping stuff I ever heard. Everyone are forgetting about the recession we are coming out of and how many people that lost their jobs. In other words, we help other countries but we better not help our own citizen. That is BS to me. I think if we are going to give out handout, I think our citizen that is looking for a job and can not do any better now should have the opportunity to receive Government assistance. Half of the people on here do not care about no one but themselves. Think if you was in that situation, you would want the government assistance also to take care your family. If you all forgot, Clinton passed the law that anyone able to do better will get kick off federal aid. But this is not the time for us to turn our backs on family that need it. I am a shame that American do not want to take care of their own, but ok to take care of other countries. We have to come together one of these days. I will be voting Democratic this Election, because the Republican have forgot about the recession and the people who need help.
Can't wait for the time trials to end, and the real race to begin.
So much ammunition to use in the GOP ads that Old Barrack will be on the ropes in no time. Hope Romney has a professional ad agency to make those attack ads. Maybe we'll just outspend Barrack.
The Democrats have more ammunition to use against Romney than they can use. They've been sorting through all the ammunition for over a year now and he just keeps giving them more an more ammunition every day. Every time Romney opens his mouth it could be an ad for the Democrats. That's your problem Joseph, you're counting on the money to win the election, not the candidate. And your candidate sucks.
The Democrats have to get a candidate.The POS in the white house now is just a waste of good air. I for one can't wait to see him go. He will lose Missouri along with his sidekick McCaskil
The Democrats already have the best candidate ever, well except for President Clinton.
Mo the only one that sucks is you.
Take a look in the mirror rukidding47. Pucker up.
Good come back rukidding. Vary funny vary funny.
Dr.Paul says the Secret Service is a form of welfare. But it didn't mention if Paul would forego the Secret Service protection if offered. Actually I guess it is a moot issue at this point of the game.
Looks like Romney's the only one who will need it.
Katheryn,
Egilman will get you for a comment like that! LOL! :)
I know - I apologize. ;~)) Hundred lashes from the wet noodle for Kat. (and I like Ron Paul - really)
Kath,
I know it's sometimes difficult to pick out when he is joking or being sarcastic. (or trying to get a rise out of someone)
Actually he has had SS protection for a while now, but he is one who does think it gets in the way.....
Unlike his opponents who think it's a status symbol.
Oh yeah,Egilman -now you just know that Newt is just eatin' it up!
Actually Ron Paul did refuse SS protection
If Romney is the nominee, I'll get behind him for this reason: to halt our slide into a cesspool of third world sewage. Why does anybody want to live under the dictatorship of huge, bankrupt government? You leftists disgust me - you clowns are willing to sell away your freedom and liberty for 2 nickels. It wasn't that long ago that your forefathers fought and died protecting these very same freedoms. Shame on you traitors.
A larger, more powerful government equals a smaller, less powerful YOU.
Remember, Socialists (Communists, Marxists, Leftists, Democrats) want a government that rules OVER the people, not FOR the people.
Vote to take our government BACK.
Don't be swindled AGAIN!
Vote this clown show OUT in 7 months.
Smokedbrisket, have you already forgotten all the bills the tea people Koch republicans have introduced that tell women what they can and can't do with their bodies? The tea people Koch republicans want the biggest most powerful government they can get, they just tell you they don't, and you buy into their lie. I fell sorry for you tea people Koch republicans that can't think for yourselves.
Just remember smokedbrisket when you use those labels to describe the Democrats nobody pays any attention to you. You make yourself irrelevant to the discussion.
It is you - sir - that is irrelevant. You and all these other maddow leeches bending over to Goldman Sucks with the goal of turning our government into a dictatorship. The clown show ends in about 7 months.
But you would get on your knees for a Republican dictatorship wouldn't you brisket? You did for Bush and Cheney. That administration pushed through more laws and regulations that ate away at our personal freedoms and you and your fellow sheep said nothing.
You - sir - are the last one to warn anyone about big government.
In your dreams. Keep drinking that Kool-Aid. Tasty stuff.
Better than your Hater-ade. Too bitter for me...
I hate dictatorship - you hate freedom. Guess we've both tasted it.
I hate stupid - you hate thinking. Guess we've both.
You must be funny internet guy! You maddow leeches crack me up.
Smokedbrisket you need to quit posting, your responses are getting more and more incoherent. You're losing the argument. Well to be honest you lost the argument with your first hate post.
People like Brisket speaks volumes about the people who make up the republican party. Let him, Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, etc. let them all keep talking. Don't censor them. Let them hang themelves.
I prefer sweet tea. Keeps the mind clear and alert. Unlike that poisoned punch in your diet.
Bull@!$%# - only true southerners drink sweet tea. True southerners don't vote for leftist dictatorships. Foul. 7 months left of the clown show.
Smokedbisrisket,
The Republican party used to be a grand old party although is is not older nor larger than the Democratic party and hasn't been since the 1930s. The grandure it had in Presidents like Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Ike are long gone, replaced by a bunch of right wing extremists who control the party dragging along others who just, for whatever reason, go along. These would be Fascist/Nazi wannabes show by posts like yours, that the party has become a muck raking, bottom feeding lot of scoundrels not fit to run a playground let alone a nation. But keep up your rants. I love the entertainment value and people who haven't joined a party because they are new citizens or kids voting for the first time will surely see the Republican party as you have created it and join the Demcorats. So keep up the good work, pal as you make our job easier.
Hey brisket, are you a religious person?
If you're asking if me and my family still celebrate Christmas - yes, we do.
no one asked about Christmas, you redneck dipwit. Jehovah's Witnesses are religious and they don't celebrate Xmas. Jews don't celebrate Xmas. Shows how narrow minded you really are.
Ok genius - I am a Christian. I'm not sure if that qualifies under your terms as "religious". Maybe you should educate us.
I don't have time to educate you. Apparently your homeschooling didn't do the trick. Besides, even an educated pig is still a pig.
Bow down to your King! Do it! Now! Obama! Obama! Hussein! Hussein! Barrack! Barrack!
LOL.
you just "LOL" at something you typed. You laughed at your own joke, and TYPED that you laughed at your own joke, yet a laugh is something that takes people by surprise. Your mom and dad were related before they were married?
Quit posting smokedbrisket. Even you are starting to laugh at your own posts. It's pitiful.
Smoked
Love the pic. He was a good man and you have good taste in leadership.
But that is Black Jack Kelly in the picture! You know, the train robber and murderer.
I'm just trying to get you to look at facts instead of lies beachbum. I know you tea people Koch republicans like to be told what to do or how to vote. I'm a Democratic Liberal, I think people should think for themselves and make up their own mind. You see I'm not going to take up my time trying to answer your stupid questions, per Karl Roves play book.