Some may say that the 2012 GOP race is like the Clinton-Obama race in 2008. Today, the Missouri caucus may toss that comparison out the window as chaos erupted at several caucus sites in the ′Show Me State.′ Most of the arguments began as caucus goers debated whether or not to honor the ′beauty contest′ primary vote in February, where Rick Santorum won by more than 30 points. Needless to say, while Santorum supporters advocated that position, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul backers wanted a fresh vote and proportional allocation based on today′s election results. Two Ron Paul backers were arrested at one location near St. Louis. At another site nearby, where some 2,500 people had gathered, the crowd became so rowdy that the caucus was canceled.
Rick Santorum was the big winner last night, winning both the 2012 Alabama and Mississippi primaries. The election results showed a close fought battle in both Dixie states. In Alabama, Santorum won with 34.5%, with Newt Gingrich in second with 29.3%, Mitt Romney in a close third with 29% and Ron Paul last with 5%. The Mississippi primary results had Santorum winning with 32.9%, Gingrich in 2nd with 31.3%, Romney again in 3rd with 30.3% and Paul still in last place with just 4.4% of the vote. Romney had a better time in Hawaii where he easily won with 45.4%, Santorum in second with 25.3%, Paul in 3rd with 18.3% and Gingrich with just 11%. The percentages for the caucus in American Samoa have yet to be reported, but Romney is expected to win there as well, given only 70 Republicans actually caucused. Have to wonder why Samoa gets 9 convention delegates with just 70 Republicans who cannot even vote in the November election?
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum easily won the Kansas caucus for 2012 gaining 51% of the vote. Mitt Romney finished second with 21%, Newt Gingrich third with 14% and Congressman Ron Paul fourth with 13%. Due to the huge win, Santorum is expected to earn 32 of the state′s 40 delegates. Yesterday, or today, depending which side of the International Date Line you are on, Mitt Romney won the caucus on Guam, as well as those in the Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands, such as Saipan, gaining an additional 25 of the total 27 delegates that were up for grabs. Ron Paul won one delegate from the Virgin Island caucus, with the remaining delegate uncommitted. This sets the stage for the Double-Dixie primaries on Tuesday, March 13, in Alabama and Mississippi.
