Turnout in the three states was expected to be low; only about 60,000 voters turned out for Minnesota’s 2008 GOP caucuses, in a state that now has about 3 million registered voters. About half the voters in Missouri and Minnesota were expected to be Republicans who consider themselves conservative Christians.
BY DAVID LIGHTMAN | MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON — Rick Santorum faced an important opportunity Tuesday to become the chief conservative alternative to Mitt Romney, as he was projected to win Missouri’s Republican presidential primary and appeared headed for strong showings in Minnesota and Colorado caucuses.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, was expected to remain the front-runner for the GOP nomination whatever happened Tuesday, thanks to his huge advantages in campaign cash and organization going forward, and his impressive earlier wins in New Hampshire, Florida and Nevada.
But Santorum was declared the Missouri winner Tuesday night based on news organization projections of initial voting trends. The vote was a non-binding “beauty contest,” since no delegates were at stake and candidates made little effort to campaign there. But Santorum’s victory gave his campaign renewed momentum.
Initial returns also showed Santorum surging in Minnesota and running close to Romney in Colorado caucuses. More complete returns were not available for this edition.
A solid Santorum vote provided fresh evidence that “Romney’s is a troubled candidacy,” said Lawrence Jacobs, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. “The outcome of the race is far from certain.”
The strong showing by Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, made it clear that Romney isn’t yet his party’s consensus nominee. It signaled that the GOP nomination campaign may remain a bitter struggle for months, possibly leading to a divided August convention and a weakened candidate against President Barack Obama in the fall.
Each state voting Tuesday offered its own intrigue. Because Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, wasn’t on the Missouri primary ballot, the conservative vote there was less likely to fracture than in earlier contests, making a Romney triumph more difficult.
In Minnesota, Romney had the backing of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, but a vocal conservative Christian community appeared to be rallying behind Santorum.
And in Colorado, Romney stepped up his campaigning in recent days, figuring that was his best shot to win.
No delegates were chosen Tuesday. Caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota began a process that will lead to delegate selection there in April and May. Missouri’s primary is a “beauty contest” only; its 52 delegates will be chosen in state and local conventions later this spring. Tuesday’s contests were about influencing public opinion and building momentum.
Turnout in the three states was expected to be low; only about 60,000 voters turned out for Minnesota’s 2008 GOP caucuses, in a state that now has about 3 million registered voters. About half the voters in Missouri and Minnesota were expected to be Republicans who consider themselves conservative Christians.